Just Another Lost Soul
by Surf-kat2
Summary: When do you break? Is it when you wake up without any memory at all? Or is it when your hands know how to assemble a gun in less than four seconds? Maybe it should be the fact that I'm not scared; I'm excited-no I'm thrilled. I thirst for action and want to fight. My fingers itch to pull the trigger to that gun. I thought I was lost, until he found me. FRED/OC LUNA/OC
1. Prologue

HEY! This is my first story so go easy on the reviews! But yea, please review, I know that it doesn't look like a Harry potter story in the first couple of lines but it'll get there, trust me!

Prologue

"I have a mission for you." My favorite words. The first sniper fell within milliseconds of the second. Each passing on soundlessly as their bodies slump lifelessly onto the roof.

"Do you?" my response was accompanied by a cruel smile. I reached back and drew an arrow from my quiver. The bow string was pulled taut and the arrow was released. The arrow sped through the darkness toward its destination. SIx buildings away, eleven stories up, third window across the arrow buried itself into Hannah Lee's chest. Another smile as she collapsed, dead. A moment of absolute silence, as though the world was mourning the loss. Then people shouting, an alarm went off, a siren wailing in the distance.

"When and Where are you? We're calling you back."

"Paris. 2492" I whispered into the night as I watched Hannah being carried through the window on an oval shaped, silver stretcher that floated through the night toward the emergence craft. My black arrow was still embedded in her chest. They probably don't understand how she's dead. In the year 2338, each human was given a heart 'strengthener'. At this point in time, a human lifespan is around 300 years. Unfortunately, Hannah's lifespan was around 30 years thanks to my poison tipped arrow.

I felt a tingling sensation shoot up my spine. Time to go. The world spun around me, and the ground disappeared. I was getting sucked down, down into the earth itself. Then, all at once the world stopped spinning. I stood in a transparent glass tube looking out at the science section of Dona Nobis Pacem headquarters. It's latin meaning Grant us Peace. The glass door slid open and I strode down the hallway, ignoring the raised eyebrows and questioning stares.

I came to my destination, a room with tall bronze doors finely decorated with intricate swirling patterns. I pushed the doors open and entered the ornate room. A man stood in the middle talking to an elderly woman. They both looked up as I entered. The woman looked shocked to see me. She nodded to the man and walked briskly toward the door. She stopped in front of me, curtsying.

"Saluto te princeps" (I salute you my princess) She briefly touched her forehead and gestured to me. I smiled at her and repeated the gesture.

"Gratias tibia fiddles et fortuna rider super dos" (Thank you my faithful servant and may the fortunes smile upon you). I replied traditionally. She beamed at me as she left the room.

"Ah, Serena. I see you have not lost your charm." I glared at the man now alone in the middle of the room. I never liked Peter very much. Peter was my mom's chief advisor, and my half brother. He was 21, five years older than me. He was 6 foot 2, and buff. He looked like a football player. Dark hair combined with his light blue, almost grey eyes gave him a handsome appearance. When I was younger I used to want eyes like that, instead of mine. Know I hate those eyes and the patronizing looks they give me.

"You said you had a mission, Peter." I said coldly.

"Not quite, rather I have a message. Your mother wishes to speak with you." My surprised showed through for a second before I deadpanned my face. He turned on his heel and started walking away. I followed him, desperately trying to smooth my black body suit and undid my ponytail, shoving all my bangs to the right. I slung the bow onto my back and prepared to meet her.

We came to a pair of huge doors made of solid gold. Guards were posted outside and they took one look at me and pushed the doors open. My mother sat on her golden thrown. Her back was perfectly straight and she looked magnificent in her golden gown that I knew hid a black body suit similar to mine. I realized there was a figure kneeling in front of her and with a start recognized him as Birch. I knelt next to Birch. We shared a glance. What did mom want to talk to us about? He shrugged as if saying he didn't know any more than I did. Birch was my older brother by a few minutes. Although he was my brother, the only thing we shared was the same black hair and our age; 16. He had handsome dark eyes that made girls swoon over him. He was tall, about six inches taller than me, and muscular. He had olive skin and looked like a model right off a front cover of some well read magazine.

I was 5 foot 7 with electric blue eyes. I had an athletic build, but my midnight hair and porcelain skin gave off a sense of helplessness, which I hated. While Birch could easily pull off the dark and dangerous type, I could just as easily pull off the innocent little girl act. It wasn't until I pulled out my knives, bow, or sword that people realized what a grave mistake that assumption was.

"Relinquere nos!" (Leave us) Everyone filed out quickly. Once everyone was gone, she smiled at us and stood up. "Filioli men quos iterum videre bonos." (Good to see you again my children) Latin was the native language of the Protectors. But since we have took the form of humans, latin is fast dying to be replaced by english.

"Et tibia mater. Spiro, vivere et mori servant tibia." (And you my mother. I live, breathe, and die to serve you.) She nodded and pressed her lips together tightly.

"It has come to my attention, that you both lack certain qualities that are necessary if you are to become the next rulers." I blinked in surprise, but knew enough to hod my tongue.

"That stunt you pulled with the frogs in the laboratory was the last straw, Serena. Someone could have been injured! Don't roll your eyes at me, Birch!" She finished sharply. Birch looked stunned. I hid my smile in my hair. "I received a full report on the Hannah Lee mission. 10 minutes. Impressive. However, it would have been more impressive if you hadn't killed 45 snipers along the way. That's too much evidence, and will cause a problem. Now, I have to send out twenty agents to clean up your mess. You lack compassion and discipline. You are too reckless and aggressive. Birch," she turned to my brother, "You are the opposite of Serena. You have compassion and you lack initiative. If you are to be good rulers, you must learn these qualities."

"With all due respect, Mother, if this is about me learning how to fight with a staff, I'm willing to practice more and I'll get better-"

"No, you won't." Three words cut me off more efficiently than if she'd screamed at me. I was stunned into silence and looked at the ground. Mother had always been supportive of me, so why the sudden change? "You will never master the staff if you do not first master yourself. To use the staff you must have complete control of every movement. Birch, you will never learn how to properly use a gun if you don't first learn how to kill. Your instinct to protect and heal are admirable, but you must also learn how to kill if you need to.

"That is why, I am sending you both into another world that is on the brink of war, even if they don't know it yet. You will stay for four years." My eyes widened in astonishment.

"Mother! That's not fair! You can't do that! This is a punishment not a mission!" I cried.

"Silence!" She said, and I shut up pretty quick. Mom never used that tone unless she was upset. "You leave me no other choice. This is a mission! I will personally debrief both of you on your mission now." She said.

Although I did not see her press a button, at that moment a podium rose from the ground with a computer. Her hands flew over the keys as she punched in a code. Suddenly the room was filled with the glow of the computer's data. All around us the screen seemed to project on air.

"Birch, you're up first. If you'll look here." Mom gestured to a picture of a lady. She was about five foot eight with the most untamed mane of black, super curly hair that I'd ever seen. The hair seemed to be down, but it piled on top of her head in weird ways. Her skin was fairly pale with just a ghost of a tan. Her black eyes had a crazed look to them and her long fingernails were painted black. She was dressed in a black dress that looked more like a robe. In her hand she held a stick with green light shooting out of it. A wand. Black combat boots completed the gothic look for her. She looked horrendous. I dropped my gaze under the picture where glowing letters spelled out her name: Bellatrix Lestrange

"This is your mission." Birch looked surprised, and then confused. "Your mission is to kill this woman known as Bellatrix Lestrange. You can kill her or you can get someone else to do it for you but you must be directly involved. Otherwise you fail your mission." Birch blanched. I felt bad for the guy. He had a real problem with killing. Birch nodded and swallowed hard.

"And Selena, here is yours." I looked to the picture of a boy around my age with freckles and blue eyes. He was, as humans would say, a ginger. He was tall, about as tall as Birch. He was actually quite good looking. I shoved down that thought as quickly as it had arisen. I'm going to kill him, so it doesn't matter.

"Your mission is to protect him at all cost." Wait, what? My skin crawled at the thought of defending someone. I pushed the awkward feeling aside and nodded, my face blank.

I listened attentively as she squashed three years of learning magic at some place called Hogwarts into one hour. I received my wand (A phoenix hair, 11 inches, oak, slightly flexible) as did Birch (12.5 inches, cypress, dragon heartstring, swishy).

"Your going to be sent through the tubes now." The information disappeared along with the computer and in its place stood two tubes. and a control booth outside of them. "Go on then!" Mom said. 4 years. I won't be able to see her for another four years. Although I was used to this, still, it's always a shock.

I warily stepped into the tube; the glass door slid shut, sealing my fate. There was a sucking noise and a machine noise as if the machine were trying to work but failing. I looked past the glass to my mother in confusion.

The glass dome above us shattered and people in black suits jumped down into the room. In one swift move, Mom's dress was on the floor and in its place was a skintight black bodysuit. Her golden bracelet unwound itself from her wrist and became a whip. There's a reason mom's queen; she's the best. My heart sinks as I stare at the room jam packed with men whom held guns trained on her. I pounded on the glass, trying to break through. She gives me an apologetic gaze before raising her hands in surrender. A black suited guy ran to the controls. My mom leapt at him with the agility of a cat.

Everything was silent inside my soundproof tube, so I was confused when my mother suddenly fell to the floor and rolled into a ball. It was only when I saw the darkening stain on her pants that I realized what had happen. I went ballistic. Thrashing and screaming for my mom. The guy at the controls glanced at my mom in fear then fiddled with the controls.

Why? My mom started changing. She was turning into her true form. We call ourselves guardian angels for a reason! Giant wings started protruding from her back. Peter turned a knob in a 360 and then pressed a big, red button. Big, red buttons are never good.

Just before I was sucked into the tube the guys eyes met mine. The sight made my heart stop. I knew those eyes. I had wanted those eyes. I hated those eyes. Peter. The image of his eyes burned itself into my brain, and I knew no matter what happened I would always remember this moment.

Ironically, the tube chose that moment to suck me into another world.


	2. Chapter 1

First chapter is up! I'm super happy right now that I already got a review, so obviousy some people like what I write! So I'm gonna post and plus it's SUMMER!

Chapter 1

My hands were hot. My face was sticky with sweat. I opened my eyes to see smoke billowing around me. The sky above was a dark grey. I pushed myself into sitting position and took in my surroundings. In my right hand was a bow. In my left a stick. Looking more closely, I realized the stick had been carved. Recognizing it was probably important, I stowed it in my black combat boot.

My face was wet with tears that I don't remember shedding. A long scratch ran down my calf, but there was no memory to accompany it. My knuckles were bloody from beating something I couldn't recall. I was a mess. Taking a calming breath I looked around.

Tents were ablaze and in the distance I made out what looked like a stadium, it was hard to see through the smog. Then everything that was happening hit me and my arms suddenly became weak. I flopped back down on the charred grass.

I was in the middle of nowhere with no memory of anything. How would I survive? What happened. How did I get here? It was all I could do not to break down right there. _Pull it together!_ I scolded myself. Taking a shaky breath, I attempted to sit up, but failed.

"Stop!" someone yelled. I froze and a hazy shape was just visible through the fog. Before I knew what had happened I had pulled myself into a crouch with the bow at the ready and an arrow already notched. How did I do that?

"STOP! That's my son!" The voice, obviously male, continued to yell. My brain relaxed, recognizing the threat had passed, but my body remained tense. I started silently slipping away from the people in the fog. Slowly inching away had worked well until I stepped onto something…. or someone. I bit back a scream as I whipped around to find a green, little, dwarf-elf type creature. It wore a filthy pillowcase and before I could bolt a hand covered my mouth.

My body reacted before my mind could even process what was happening. Crushing his foot with a stomp and biting as hard as I could. I tasted copper and knew he was bleeding but my jaws stayed locked on his skin. My elbow jammed into his gut. At this point he was screaming bloody murder and let me go. I swept his legs out from under him. He fell heavily.

My mind finally caught up when I had my stick pointed at his throat. Oh great. I'll just put the wand away and help him up, then I can apologize. My body remained tense and alert. I heard running and turned to go, but someone stood in my way. Soon I was surrounded by wizards. I was thankful of the darkness, so they couldn't see my face.

I dropped the wand and put my hands above my head in surrender.

"Grab him!" They thought I was a guy.

"Stop!" I cried. Well, it worked. Everyone stopped. I looked up at the sky to see a skeleton head with a snake coming out of it's mouth. I mentally noted that that was called a Dark Mark "I didn't do anything! I swear."

"Didn't do anything!" Someone said, helping the man on the ground regain his feet. "Didn't do anything! Amos was attacked! I think that's enough ground for a trial."

"He attacked me! It was self-defense!" I insisted. Everything rested on making them believe this. I don't know how I knew that but I did. "I was running and I stepped on a body over there." I pointed to the motionless heap on the ground.

They took the green dwarf elf out of the bush it was laying half under.

"_Ennervate_!" The elf stirred and sat up. It was an obvious female now that I get a good look. Her brown eyes were wide with fear. And she was shaking like a leaf. I was more interested in the spell. I looked at the stick in my hand. Or rather, the wand in my hand. Interesting. The man who I pushed down - Amos barked at the elf. "Elf! Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and control of Magical Creatures!" Well that made no sense, but it did scare the elf to death.

"As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago, and you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!"

"I-I-I is not doing it, sir!" The elf said. "I is not know how, sir!" She looked like she was going to wet herself. I was surprised when the feeling of disgust bubbled into my stomach. I had no compassion, good to know.

"You were found with a wand in your hand!" Amos brandished the wand.

"Hey - that's mine!" The boy was easily two years younger than me with black hair and green eyes. Wait, how was it possible I could see him? Actually, I could see all of them clear as day. Weird.

"Excuse me?" Amos asked.

"That's my wand!" The boy said. Harry Potter. The name floated around inside my head, matching itself to the face. I didn't know how I knew, I just did. "I dropped it!"

"You dropped it? Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you confused the Mark?" Amos pressed. I rolled my eyes.

"Amos, think who you're talking to!" The adult ginger beat me to it. "Is Harry Potter likely to confuse the Dark Mark?"

"Er-of course not," Amos mumbled. "Sorry… carried away…" They were getting no where.

How is it possible I don't remember my own life before waking up in the blackened grass? Where did I come from? I'm going to have to make up a story to tell everyone. A lie. Time to test my lying abilities. When they ask me, though. Why am I not scared? Why do I feel excited instead of worried. How did I know how to do those things to that man? I don't understand.

Shutting my eyes tightly, I tried to grasp anything I could in my mind, but it was like trying to find a fish in a puddle. Impossible. Then, without warning an image projected onto the back of my closed eyelids. A pair of eyes. A very pale blue, almost grey actually. I would have liked those eyes if my stomach hadn't twisted with hatred that made my skin boil.

"HEY!" I was snapped back to the present and the image of the eyes disappeared.

"Who are you?"

A name floated into my head in answer to his question. "Serena Williams." I quickly made up a last name.

"What should we do with her?"

"I say we try her at court! She attacked me!"

"It was self defense!"

"She's a child!"

"She can't be older than 16!"

"I'm supposed to attend a school called Hogwarts." I added, trying to sound as meek as possible. Everyone stared at me.

"Well that changes things." Amos said. "Do you have your admission letter?" My hand reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a crumpled letter. Amos scanned the letter and handed it back.

"I'll take her back with me and then give her a ride to platform 9 3/4" The ginger said smiling at me. "It will be no trouble at all. We have a spare room. I'm Arthur Weasley." He held out his hand and I shook it, smiling at him.

"Thank you, sir." I nodded respectfully.

"Come on, you three." Arthur said to Harry and his two friends. One was obviously Arthur's son and the other one was female and obviously the three weren't related by blood.

"What's going to happen to Winky?" The girl asked fearfully. Winky must be the elf. Why did she care what happened? That elf deserved to get punished. What a disgrace the sniveling, green elf had been to it's master.

"I don't know." Said Arthur.

"The way they were treating her!" The girl said furiously, her face growing red. "Mr. Diggory called her elf all the time… and Mr. Crouch! He knows she didn't do it and he's still going to sack her! He didn't care how frightened she'd been, or how upset she was - it was like she wasn't even human!"

"Well, she's not." the ginger kid said. I rolled my eyes and thought about my story. It came to me like I'd already rehearsed it. I'd received my letter to Hogwarts, but my abusive muggle parents wouldn't let me go so I stole their credit card and ran. I come from America, Florida to be exact. I've been wandering for days. Brilliant.

Arthur stopped in front of two tents. I walked behind Arthur, Harry, Ginger, and girl and moved silently. We entered the tent and it was bigger on the inside then it was on the outside.

"Did you get them, Dad?" asked another ginger. Geez they were everywhere! "The person who conjured the Mark?"

"No." Arthur said. "We found Barty Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark."

"What?" asked three of the gingers together in absolute shock.

"Harry's wand?" I found myself staring at the boy who'd spoken. Just like with Harry, a name drifted into my head, matching itself to the face. Fred Weasley. I smiled at the name. He was handsome with freckles dotting his cheeks and nose. He had brown eyes and reddish hair. So he wasn't completely ginger. His gaze drifted and he caught me watching him. He smirked at him and I smirked back before looking away and raising my chin defiantly. I felt his gaze still on me and I looked back and smirked. He mirrored my movements earlier and smirked then looked away. I rolled my eyes and hid my small smile.

My eyes instead slipped past Fred to his obvious twin. There were slight differences; denser freckles, Fred's eyes held more of a hazelish glint. I turned my attention back to the matter at hand.

"Death Eaters?" said Harry "What are Death Eaters?"

"It's what You-Know-Who's supporters called themselves. I think we saw what's left of them tonight - the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway."

"Yeah, I bet it was! Dad, we met Draco Malfoy in the woods, and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in masks! And we all know the Malfoys were right in with You-Know-Who!"

"But what were Voldemort's supporters -" Harry started and everyone flinched but me. What was going on here. "Sorry, what were You-Know-Who's supporters up to, levitating Muggles? I mean, what was the point?"

"Okay, so say, for arguments sake, that I don't-know-who. Hypothetically, what would you say then?" I spoke up, finally getting fed up with all the confusion. Fred and George tried to hide their laughs with coughs.

"Oh! Forgive me, this is…" Arthur looked at me apologetically and I stifled an eye roll.

"Serena Williams." I told them with a slightly forced smile.

"Bill Weasley." One of the gingers said, smiling. Shaking his outstretched hand, I smiled back at him. Fred came next.

He bowed almost to the floor. "Fred Weasley at your service. And this is George, Charlie, Ginny, Hermionie, and Harry. Oh and Percy." He wrinkled his nose as he said Percy's name.

"Thanks for the introduction." I said like it was nothing. George was glaring at him.

"Since that might've been confusing I'm George. The better looking twin." George pushed his brother aside. My smile froze on the word twin. Did I have a twin? Is that why my body froze? Ugh! Damn this memory loss!

"Thanks, but I think I've got everyone's name down."

"Listen, it's very late, and if your mother hears what's happened she'll be worried sick. We'll get a few more hours sleep and then try and get an early Portkey out of here."

"Ginny, if you would show Serena a spare bed."

"Dad, we don't have a spare bed." Arthur's blanched.

"It's fine. I can sleep on the floor for one night."

"Nonsense. We'll find an arrangement." I shrugged at Arthur's words. I knew I should probably call him Mr. Weasley because I was only sixteen, but I had been brought up to call people by there first name. I have? I desperately grabbed that thought, but it slid through my fingers and disappeared. I scowled in frustration.

"Come on." Ten minutes later I was lying on the floor with the blanket they had given me discarded on the floor. My back was propped up against the wall of the tent. Sleep found me easier than I would have though considering everything that had happened. I drifted off thinking about Voldemort


	3. Chapter 2

Hey! Second Chapter is now out! I'm super excited! Reviews please! It's really not that hard there's a button at the bottom of the page that's square and blue! If you click that then you can just right what you think about my story! Thanks!

Chapter 2

I realized two things that night. The first is that I don't fall asleep; I fall into a daze. My eyes are half shut, but my mind goes blank. I can will myself out of the daze but when I do I feel rested. The second is that I have to become friends with these people. Like everything that has happened to me in the past twenty-four hours, my gut lets me know what to do.

Someone was waving their hand in front of my face. Yanking myself out of my daze, I looked up at Ginny Weasley. A groan escaped my lips. Still, I changed out of my baggy clothes and into Ginny's. I spent a full two minutes brushing my hair before Arthur told us we had to get going.

Magic is a truly amazing thing. The tents were packed up within two minutes and we were ready to go. A huge line swarmed around the portkeys, all apparently wanted to go home. Traveling by portkey was a weird experience, or rather traveling by tire was a weird experience. First the world spun and then stopped and I was lying on the floor.

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!" The voice came from a middle aged, plump woman running toward us. This must be Mrs. Weasley! My assumption was confirmed when she threw herself at Arthur, letting the newspaper with a headline saying SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP fall to the floor. I found myself picking the paper off the floor. "Arthur - I've been so worried! So worried…"

"You're all right, you're alive…Oh boys!" She continued, nearing hysteria. Fred and George were suffocating from the bear hug Mrs. Weasley gave them.

"Ouch! Mum - you're strangling us -" Fred complained, letting the rest of the sentence drop as he caught my eye. I threw him a smirk as he mouthed 'help me' over Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. It was weird, I felt like I'd known Fred forever.

"I shouted at you before you left! It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough O.W.L.s? Oh Fred…George…" I cleared my throat and she trailed off, looking at me and releasing Fred and George. She was choking back sobs now.

"I'm Serena Williams, ma'am." I held out my hand for a shake. She looked at me curiously and then threw Arthur a questioning look.

"She's staying with us. We found her in the middle of the attack."

"Oh, darling! You must have been so f_rightened_!" I smiled genuinely at her concern. "Forgive me! I'm Molly Weasley!" She wiped her hands on her apron before shaking my hand, smiling all the while.

"Come in, darling!" She continued as she led us all into the house. I watched her go in wonder, somehow I knew I'd never met someone quite like Molly Weasley. I trailed after the group and heard someone fall into step beside me.

"I like your mum. She's nice." I said without glancing at who was walking next to me. Fred laughed.

"Most people do. Thanks for saving me from getting strangled. She can get a bit carried away sometimes."

"Sometimes?" I asked, questioningly.

"Alright so it happens a lot." He admitted. We entered the house and my mouth formed a perfect 'o' of surprise. "It's not much, but it's home."

"Better than mine." I muttered quietly. Fred looked at me confusedly, but thankfully Arthur cut in.

"Can I see that, Serena?" I handed him the paper. "I knew it! Ministry blunders…culprits not apprehended…lax security…Rita Skeeter."

"That woman's got it in for the Ministry of Magic!" The one called Percy was furious and I had to stifle my laugh. "Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness, when we should be stamping out vampires! As if it wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-humans-" Now I was stifling a yawn.

"Do us a favor, Perce," Bill didn't try to hide his yawn. "Shut up."

"I'm mentioned," Arthur said.

"Where? If I'd seen that, I'd have known you were alive!" Molly said. Arthur read off the daily prophet and excused himself along with Percy who wished to accompany him to the ministry. Next, Harry excused himself to put his things in Ron's room and Hermione and Ron went with him.

"Well, dear, why don't you tell us a little about yourself." Molly said, looking at me. Everyone looked at me. I shifted uncomfortably under the stares of Bill, Molly, Ginny, Charlie, Fred, and George.

"Um… okay. I come from America to attend Hogwarts. My parents flew me in and I was supposed to stay with some friends but I got a bit lost." I lied smooth as whip cream. I even surprised myself when I added additional pauses and stutters, like I was hesitant.

"Oh! Looks like you've been through quite an ordeal! Fred, George! Why don't you give her a tour of our house and show her to the spare room!"

"I'm flattered, ma'am, but it's not necessary, I can find my-"

"Nonsense! It would be my pleasure to show you around, m'lady!" George said with a majestic sweep of his hand. I laughed his show. He smiled, "Come on, then!" I followed him up the stairs with Fred right behind me.

"This is Ginny's room, and that's Ron and here's Bill's room when he's here." They went through them all opening and closing doors. My mind was silently making a mental map of the house. "Here's your room, right across from ours!"

"Thanks guys." I said, walking into my room.

"No problem. Call us if you need anything." George winked at me and I rolled my eyes. He shrugged. "Or don't, we have business to attend to anyway."

"Thanks, George. Fred." I acknowledged them with a nod before shutting the door. Is it weird that the one room they didn't open was their room? Nah, it's only normal not to want to show your own room, right? But a part of me was still curious.

Suddenly, a lump on my dresser caught my eye. I walked over to find it was a hard candy. I picked it up and read the note that was lying on the table.

Welcome to the Burrow

- F & G

I rolled my eyes. Boys. Reaching up I smelled the candy, unsure if I should eat it. To my surprise a list of ingredients sprang into my mind just by smelling it. Then, my mind informed me of what it does: swells your tongue. Did they think I was stupid? But I smiled to myself. Challenge accepted. Two against one? That wasn't fair! I needed help. I pocketed the candy and made my way to a possible friend. I knocked on the wooden door and prayed for the best.

"Fred leave me alone! I told you, I won't be your tester for those stupid puking pas-" She froze when she saw me in the doorway. "Oh. Sorry! Come in." I entered the room and immediately liked it. Ginny had good taste. The room was painted a soft green color and the furniture matched the theme. I smiled. When I saw the green bed covers, sheet, dresser, and chair.

"You're going to have to help decorate my room." I said. She laughed and shrugged.

"It's my favorite color. If you hadn't noticed."

"Never would've guessed." She laughed again, but then became serious.

"So, what's up?" I marveled at how this family treated me like I was their life long friend instead of someone they met not even a full day ago. I pulled the candy out of my pocket and showed it to her. Her eyes widened to moons.

"Ton-tongue toffee? But how did you get it unless…" Her eyes widened even more if that was possible. "They didn't!"

"They did." I nodded, thanking my stars I didn't eat it. "I didn't eat it, but I need your help with my revenge." I smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Let's do it." She nodded.

We left her room and I pocketed the Ton-tongue toffee. Fred and George passed us in the hallway and smiled a little too innocently. I smiled brightly back, hiding my evil grin.

"Hey! We're playing quidditch with Harry, Ron, Bill, and Charlie! Wanna come?" I pretended to look embarrassed.

"I can't ride a broomstick." Their eyes widened.

"Well, after the game, we'll teach you!" I nodded brightly at Fred's suggestion.

"Sure thanks!" They continued down the hallway, and I smiled to myself. Ginny and I ran to their room and peeked in. I took some ingredients, intending to make my own joke candy.

"Why don't we just steal their candy?" Ginny asked.

"Aren't you curious? Don't you want to know what it feels like to make a prank and then carry it out? Especially on Fred and George." She grinned evilly and nodded.

"Let's do it!" We went back to my room and started working on it. After about an hour we had a perfect joke. I grabbed the red one for Fred and Ginny had the green one for George. I smiled to myself as we wrapped them in fake candy wrappers that were in Ginny's room. I grabbed a handful of the real candies with the same wrappers.

The candies were multi colored so you never know which color your going to get. Ginny and I went outside to sit on the grass and eat the candies After a while Fred, George, and the rest came over. They were done playing and the score was 120 to 130. Fred and George were winning with Bill.

"Hey. Candy?" They sat down next to me and each took one. That's right twins. Eat the candy. They ate it and nothing happened. That was the truly ingenious part of my scheme. It works an hour later, when your cleared out.

Everyone was sitting there laughing and joking and eating candy. And, even though I just came out here to pull a prank, I was glad I did. Because for the first time in what I sensed was a long time, I felt like I was wanted


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey! Sorry for the delay wifi problems! Next chapter should be out really soon hopefully! Don't forget to review its always appreciated! Any ideas people have for this story please tell me cause I'm running low!**

**~surf-kat2**

Chapter 3

I woke up on the ground. The grass was soft and springy, but wet, probably from the early morning dew. My senses crashed down on me and for a moment I was overwhelmed. My head was pulsing and my heart hammering. I groaned and stirred, slowly rising to my feet. I stumbled and a hand caught my arm. Reacting on instinct I jerked away from the cool touch. I ended up face planting on the grass.

The pounding in my head subsided and my heartbeat slowed. I rolled over and propped myself up on my elbows. A girl stood in front of me giggling. Everything about this girl was pale; her skin, blonde hair, silvery grey eyes. I groaned and my elbows gave out so I flopped back onto the grass.

"Forgive me, are you alright?" She had an airy voice that wasn't unpleasant. She offered her hand and I accepted. She was surprisingly strong for her build. She hauled me up without a problem. "It wasn't very nice of me to laugh." She had an accent that I couldn't place.

"I'm Luna Lovegood." I took her outstretched hand and shook it. I opened her mouth to tell her who I was and how I got there. Then, I realized something; I couldn't remember. It was as if I had just awoken and she was the first thing I'd ever seen. She seemed to expect a name from me.

"What's your name?" She asked finally.

"I-I can't remember." I stumbled over the words like saying them makes them true. Her gaze turned curious.

"Maybe you had a nasty run in with a nargle." the girl-Luna suggested. A what? Maybe I hit my head and now I'm dreaming. Now that I can fully assess the situation you can practically smell the crazy on this girl. _Don't judge._ A little voice inside my head snapped at me. I gave a start. Am I talking to myself? No. Then I'd be insane. Am I insane? No.

"Nargles are known to cause memory loss. They hide in mistletoe. Have you been under any mistletoe lately?" She asked it like a joke. But I didn't know what was funny. Mistletoe. Christmas. Kissing. OH.

"No." I laughed. Something tucked behind her ear caught my eye. "What is that?" She grew wary.

"It's a stick." She stated the obvious.

"Why do you have a stick behind your ear?" I put my hand in my pocket and heard a crinkling noise. I took out a crumpled piece of paper. On instinct I handed it to her. She read the letter, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Well this changes everything. Why didn't you say you were a wizard?"

"I didn't know." She bit the inside of her cheek.

"Don't you remember anything?" She asked smiling expectantly.

"No." I said. Her smile disappeared.

"Oh. Well Hogwarts starts in a couple days so I'm sure daddy will let you stay with us. Come on." Luna said, starting to walk away. I contemplated running away only to realize 1) I have no where to go and 2) there's nothing better to do. I shrugged and followed her.

We walked for a ways (my instinct told me it was .7 of a mile) before coming to a tall, but strangely crooked house. Odd things were hung outside and the house oozed insanity. The house itself was a brownish grey color with one column of the house rising high (about thirty feet) and a roof protruding from the column with windows and a door below. Vines had invaded one side of the house and stretched all the way up to a two story window. Weird gadgets and nets of all sorts were littered outside. All in all it looked like one of those houses cat people own.

"You'll have to excuse the mess. We don't often have visitors." Luna told me as we ascended the staircase to the door. Inside was more normal and roomy looking. Once past the door, I stepped right into the kitchen. A pleasant smell of tea and lemon circled around me as I took in the home.

"Daddy?" Luna called in the seemingly empty house. At once a man bustled out of what could only be the living room. The man was wrinkled with age and had stringy white hair that reached to his shoulders. He looked a bit like Luna in hair color and pallor but his eyes were dark whereas Luna's were silvery. The man's necklace caught my eye. Attached to a long silver chain was a odd triangular design. It was a circle inside a triangle with a line that divided the triangle in half. I made a mental note to ask about it later.

"And who's this young lad?" The man asked. He had a deeper, more stable voice then Luna's airy one.

"He doesn't know his name. Had a bit of a nasty run in with a nargle." She whispered that last part as if I wasn't supposed to hear it. "He does have a letter from Hogwarts so I think he'll be joining this year. I told him it was alright if he stayed with us."

"I'm Xenophilius Lovegood." He said with an outstretched hand. I shook it with a million dollar smile.

"Pleasure to meet you." I covered the awkwardness of not knowing my own name with my charm.

"You forgot your name too? Would you like some tea to help clear your head?" Over his shoulder I saw Luna frantically shake her head. I returned my gaze to Xeno-Mr. Lovegood.

"No, thank you, sir. I'd just like a place to sleep for right now if that's all right?" I smiled again.

"Sir! I like this one." I smiled boyishly at the comment. Somehow my body knew exactly how to play my cards and I didn't even know what game I'm playing. "Show him to the spare room, Luna."

"Follow me." Luna said before climbing the stairs and vanishing from sight. I took one last look around, subconsciously marking all the exits before following Luna up the stairs. I followed Luna to a bland room devoid of joy. I didn't know there could be such a place in a house like this but this room was completely white save for the browned bed frame and a purple desk in the corner. I thanked Luna and when she left, I didn't hesitate to crash.

_"Help!" Someone was screaming and it sounded like it came from my right. I ran towards the distressed female voice. I stopped short. Everything around me was white, it was as if I was floating in heaven..or hell. I could feel hard ground beneath my feet but when I looked down all I saw was the color white. It was like being in total darkness, where all you can see is black, except now the darkness was white._

_ "Help! Please someone!" The female's screams were becoming more and more distressed. I started running towards the voice again, this time with my hands in front of me so I didn't run into anything solid. The sounds of her screams echoed off the walls and she started sobbing. I started to get hysterical trying to find her. I couldn't rationalize myself anymore. Logic flew out the window and I started sprinting._

_ Then I slammed into something…or someone. I could see the person in front of me as clear as day. I started scrambling backward, still on the floor, but they didn't seem to see me._

_ "Who's there?" The man asked. He used his hands to try to feel something, but there was nothing to feel. "Help me! You can't leave me here!" The man found my foot and dragged me toward him. My fingernails tried to dig themselves into the ground but there were no chinks. It was as smooth as glass. I got a good look at the man… boy really._

_ He was about eighteen with short brown hair and slight bangs. He looked disheveled. He wore a uniform with a crest on the right top that looked vaguely familiar. Where had I seen it before? Meanwhile the tanned youth reached down and found my collar. Grabbing it with both hands he yanked me up. He had a cold face that anyone could tell usually stays calmly composed. His dark eyes had an evil glint to them as he lifted me off the ground and shook me. He was pretty tall to accomplish this feat for I was pretty tall myself, but then he had about two years on me._

_ "Take me away!" He screamed in my face. "Save me! Help me! Take me away!" I am surprised to say I was not scared at all by the boy. What scared me was the crazed look in his eyes when he begged me to rescue him. I was about to respond when a scream sounded to my right. I tore myself out of his grip._

_ "Who are you?" I asked, despite myself curious. He gave no sign of answering and instead made a grab for me that I easily evaded. I turned and ran._

_ "WAIT! I'M TOM-" The rest of his answer was lost in the white abyss. I kept running. What was this place?_

_ "HELP! I'm Lost! Where am I? SOMEONE? ANYONE?" The girl was working herself into hysterics. She was so close now I could almost smell her. Suddenly the ground gave way and I was falling._

_ I landed on hard glass at a speed that should have bruised something but I felt no pain at all._

_ "ELIZABETH!" A man to my right screamed. "I'm sorry where are you?" I froze until his screams dissipated._

_ "HELP ME! Please, I'm lost! Where do I go?" I heard that same voice and took off after it. I looked to my right and saw a woman that was half melted away. She wailed and stepped in horrid jerking movements. Her body had slowly begun to decay. I shivered involuntarily. Next I passed a boy a little younger than me walking with his arm stretched out in front of him. He was ghostly pale and had green eyes with a wild look in them. his hair was a very pale blonde and he spoke with a snooty drawl._

_ "Father? Mother? Help me? What do I do? Show me something! PLEASE!" I ran on. Passed half decayed men and women I ran. That voice belonged to someone I knew…or had known. But who?_

_ "HELP ME! PLEASE! SAVE ME! I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM!" The girl had started to sob. I was getting close to her…or she was getting louder. The ground started getting unstable, and I was thrown to the floor many times. I felt a sense of responsibility towards this girl that puzzled me. I could smell her and I was just starting to make out her silhouette when the floor dropped out from underneath me._

_ "NO!" I screamed and suddenly everything stopped. Their was complete silence. I started rising upward now. I walked toward the girl who was sitting with her legs folded under her; her face buried in her hands. I squatted next to her and gently grabbed her wrists. Slowly I pulled her hands away from her face._

_ She stared right into my face. She was pale with the same jet black hair as mine. Instead of my dark eyes hers were the most radiant blue I've ever seen. Her delicate hand reached up and touched my face like she didn't believe it was me. Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears._

_ She flung herself at me with a cry, "Birch!" _


	5. Chapter 4

Hey! Review if you have anything to say or ideas because I'm kind of fresh out! I'm not sure whether I should put more bonding time with the weasleys or just skip to the start of school. REVIEW PEOPLE!

~surf-kat2

Chapter 4

I shot up in bed panting and sweating. What the bloody hell just happened? Checking the clock by my bed, I realized it was seven o'clock in the morning and I should be getting up. I heaved myself out of bed and swept my hair into a loose bun. When I reached the bathroom I rinsed my face with soap and a washcloth to get all of the sweat off. That was one hell of a dream. I gripped the sides of the sink as a sharp pain stabbed my head. I breathed deeply and closed my eyes for a minute, remembering.

_White all around me. Enough to make a person go insane. Voices screamed at me from all sides and I stood in the middle of it all. Hands grabbed me, people moaned from the white blanket. _

_ "Saaaavvvvve ussss!" A voice wailed to my right. A deteriorating face loomed at me from the shadows. I instinctively shrank back into the warmth of a body. I spun around to come face to face with a young woman, around thirty. She had stunning emerald eyes and auburn hair. Her freckled face dimpled as she smiled at me._

_ "Remember me? I had a caring boyfriend. I would've made a large profit off my inventions. I would have had the life I'd always dreamed about." She looked wistful for a moment. "BUT YOU!"_

Another wave of nauseating pain overtook me and my knuckles whitened from gripping the sink so hard.

"_YOU MURDERER!" She screamed at me. I collapsed to my knees covering my ears against the moaning chant that was getting taken up around me._

_ "Muuuurdeeeereeeerrrrrr, muuuuuurdeeeereeeerrrrrrr." I screamed, unable to hold it in any longer._

_ "Help! Help! Please someone!" I started sobbing as hands reached out from the whiteness to grab my hair and clothes. I screamed again. I couldn't get away from that chanting._

I refused to cry as I looked in the mirror at the frightened girl that stared back at me. I tried to take deep calming breathes only to be pulled back under.

_"Muuuuurdeeeerreeeeeerrrrrrr, Muuuuurdeeeeeereeeeeeerrrrr!" The voices bounced around in my head and soon the voices were inside my head. The more I tried to block them out, the louder they got. Finally, I gave up and covered my face with my hands._

_ "HELP ME! Please, I'm lost! Where do I go?" I screamed hoping against hope someone would take me away from this dreadful place. No one came. I could feel myself loosing control and descending into hysterics._

_ "HELP ME! SAVE ME! I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM!" I sobbed louder and louder. The voices grew. My sanity started slipping. I dug my fingernails into my hand._

_ "NO!" It didn't sound like I had yelled, but I couldn't be sure. The voices stopped. All at once there was a blissful silence in the room. I didn't move from my position on the ground. The voice that had yelled sounded oddly familiar. A good familiar._

_ Hands wrapped around my wrists and gently pried them away from my face. I looked up at my saviors face. It looked familiar. A name floated down from the abyss of my mind. He had jet black hair like mine, but his eyes were dark and his skin tanned._

_ Brother. The name attached to the face and I instantly knew he was safe. I brushed my fingers against his face to make sure he was real and not a deteriorating mummy before throwing myself at him._

_ "Birch!"_

I was panting and sweating again and someone was pounding on the bathroom door. It was all I could do not to fall down. I splashed more water on my face to rinse away the fears. I took one last shuddering breath before opening the doors to a glowing Fred Weasley. Literally. He was giving off a reddish light.

"Well someone's angry this morning." He looked at me confused. Then his gaze grew mildly concerned.

"Are you okay? You look…. haunted." I shrugged self consciously.

"I'm fine." I told him, and then suddenly grinned. "But you're not." With that I bolted from the bathroom leaving a confused Fred in the doorway.

I closed and locked my room just in case. I threw on some of Ginny's clothes: A green t-shirt with jean shorts.

"SERENA WILLIAMS!" I heard Fred scream from down the hall. I giggled and ran out of my room, sprinting down the hall toward the kitchen. I took the stairs two at a time. Yesterday I had gotten to know everybody a lot better, but no one clicked as well as the twins. We were almost inseparable now and it was only day two. I smiled as I reached the kitchen with Fred on my heels. I didn't even hesitate to run out the door with Fred shouting profanity and jinxes after me. We must have woke up half the house because while I was running away from Fred dodging jinx after jinx I saw light flick on in the house.

A very angry Ginny came storming outside followed by Hermione and Mrs. Weasley. Figures, the guys slept through the racket. Mrs. Weasley shot a spell at Fred and his wand flew out of his hand to be caught by Mrs. Weasley.

"Can you two lovebirds keep it down! Unlike you two some of us need rest!" Ginny shouted angrily.

"L-lovebirds!" Fred spluttered indignantly.

"You're one to talk Ginny! If you spent half as much time sleeping as harboring your little crush on-" Ginny's eyes widened and she had one hand over my mouth so the rest of the sentence was incoherent.

"Don't you dare!" She said. "When I let go your not going to say anything, right." She patronized. I dutifully nodded. She let go of her hand.

"Aww, come on Serena! Where's the fun in that." I dutifully shook my head.

"Sorry, Fred. Maybe you'll get to hear Ginny's little secret later." Ginny sent a death glare in my direction. "Or maybe not." I hastily amended.

Suddenly, both Ginny and Hermione burst into giggles. "What happened to you?" Hermione asked Fred.

Fred groaned, and George, being George chose that moment to walk out of the house. Hermione and Ginny were almost in hysterics and even Fred and I were laughing a little.

"You two look like Christmas threw up on you!" Harry said coming out of the house laughing. Hermione, Ginny, and I laughed harder. Mrs. Weasley looked at us disapprovingly.

"Did you two test another one of your jokes again? I'm telling you that is going to come back to haunt you one day."

"But Mum-" Mrs. Weasley held up her hand.

"Not another word, both of you! Try as best you can to clean up for breakfast!" And with that Mrs. Weasley marched into the house. Hermione and Ginny were near dying from laughter, but the last of the chuckles were leaving George, Harry, Fred and me. I walked inside to see if I could help Mrs. Weasley cook.

On my way in I brushed Fred's shoulder. "We don't forget pranks easily and we will always get revenge." Fred whispered. I looked him right in the eye and smiled.

"Challenge accepted." I whispered, and then louder to Mrs. Weasley, "Do you need help with breakfast, Mrs. Weasley?"

Breakfast was loud as usual. Everyone talked at once. Ron sat next to Harry and Hermione who were all talking in low whispers. Surprisingly, I could hear every word they were saying, but found it rude to pry into their conversation. Instead, I had a pleasant conversation with Bill and Charlie.

"This is going to be a fun year at Hogwarts!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed silencing everyone and sharing a knowing look with Bill and Charlie. "It is an exciting time to be joining the school, Serena. What year will you be going into?"

"That's for Dumbledore to decide, I guess." I replied with a shrug. "Why? What's going on this year?"

"How old are you?" Mrs. Weasley asked, ignoring my question.

"Sixteen." I told her without hesitation. She looked disappointed for a split second but then brightened.

"I'm sure Fred and George would be happy to befriend you at Hogwarts." I looked down at my food, nodding. The rest of the meal was finished in silence. I got up and picked up my plate.

"Oh, just leave it, dear. I'll get it." Mrs. Weasley told me.

"You don't-" I broke off when my plate levitated toward the sink. "Or that could happen." George and Fred laughed at my stunned expression. Each of them looped an arm through mine and started dragging me outside.

"Where are we going?" I laughed and struggled. They deposited me on the ground in front of the broom shed.

"We told you we'd teach you how to fly." Fred (who was still very red.) said. I couldn't help the excited tingle that shot through me when he said that.

"Okay, as long as you don't sabotage me." I told them sternly looking at each of them in turn. Fred smiled innocently.

"You wound me." Fred said. I rolled my eyes and he took out a broom, passing it to me.

"Here. Now you want to straddle it like-yea-good and now kick of the ground, and-" I started to climb higher. Fred and George were laughing as the possessed broom started zooming about at what seemed to be the speed of lightning. I screamed and laughed. Suddenly the broom climbed high above the forest. Without warning it stopped working and both broom and me fell towards the woods. I heard what sounded like Mrs. Weasley screaming, but it could have been Ginny or Hermione. My body took over and before I knew it I had landed with catlike grace on a topmost branch of an oak tree.

It was about three minutes till I heard footsteps approaching. I was sitting with my back leaned against the tree trunk and my legs sprawled on the branch. In my hand I held Harry's firebolt. Right dirty gitty scum… my mind continued mentally cursing Fred and George. Speaking of which they were under me right now. Actually everyone had gathered under my tree to try to find me. I smirked at them and dropped the firebolt.

My drop was really perfectly timed because the firebolt landed right on Fred's head. He got up, rubbing his head and muttering darkly. He looked up and saw me. I smirked at him and Fred smirked back in a sort of impressed way. I got up and climbed down the tree.

"That was a dirty trick, Fred Weasley!" I told him indignantly. He laughed at me and shrugged.

"You were asking for it. Besides lets call it even. And, George and I were thinking about adding you to our duo. Weasleys and Friend. Catchy, huh?" He held out his hand for me to shake while making hand motions with the other.

"No, Fred! Are you kidding me! You could have killed her!" Ginny's outburst both surprised and flattered me. I laughed and nodded.

"Good thinking, Ginny! I want 50% of all income." Fred looked astounded at my number.

"50%!" He spluttered.

"25." George said.

"45." I countered.

"12!" Fred said glaring at George. George and I ignored him.

"32." George said.

"40 or nothing." I said finally, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Twin meeting." Fred growled, dragging George by his ear. They stopped a couple yards away to talk in angry whispers.

"She drives a hard bargain." That was George.

"She's a valuable addition."

"You just want her cause she's hot." I tilted my head and started tapping my foot.

"No! She's also smart and funny! She's practically us in girl form, George!"

"Minus the looks." George added. I rolled my eyes.

"Minus the looks." Fred agreed. They came back over.

"With careful consideration, we have decided to accept your offer." They said, I smiled and nodded. Everyone else looked lost.

"I believe we have business to attend to then." The three of us walked off leaving a very stunned Weasley family behind.

That was the beginning of the end of my life.


	6. Chapter 5

**Reviews people! I love this story, but I'm thinking of starting another story about something else. So if anyone has any ideas for books, movies, tv shows even that I could do please review and tell me!**

Chapter 5

I didn't know at the time that the choice to join the Weasley twins and become a trio (later a quadruplet with Lee Jordan) would lead to my death. All for the better I suppose for if I had known what would happen, I would have run with my tail between my legs. I died a hero's death, though I was anything but a hero. Sometimes I wonder if it was all worth the pain. I'm getting ahead of the recording. My apologies. While I'm at apologies, I must also ask the listeners forgiveness for Birch's incompetence. I was distracted for a moment and he managed to wrestle the recorder from me for a few hours. Don't worry, I'll get my revenge. I always do.

I am warning you to stay away from this story! If anything weird starts to happen to you stop reading immediately and call the local police! In fact you should probably put them in your speed dial right now. If you value your - Birch, give me back the recorder! Shut up, Serena! They should be warned! BIRCH, GIVE ME BACK THE DAMN RECORDER! Have it your way then, but if anything weird happens don't read-SHUT UP! Sorry you had to hear that. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Keep listening to my story. With everything that is about to happen, it needs to be heard.

The next week passed in a blur of pranks, angry faces, and embarrassment. I was practically best friends with the Weasley twins now, and all seemed well. Granted, I was a tad nervous for the start of the school year, but I tried not to think about it. Where I'm going to start the next chapter of my story is in the living room, with everyone gathered around waiting for the clock hand that represented Mr. Weasley to point to traveling.

Fred, George and I where in the corner trying to thing of how to begin our new order form, so we could start Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (the name was a work in progress) again. Hermione sat in the corner reading the book Mrs. Weasley had bought Ron, Harry, Hermione and me. I don't know what it's called, for I hadn't gotten around to opening it yet. Bill and Ron were playing Wizarding chess (A surprisingly interesting game). I had no idea what Charlie was doing but Harry was polishing his Firebolt (he still blames Fred, George, and I for 'contaminating' it).

"What are you tw-three up to?" Mrs. Weasley said, correcting herself. She gave us a narrowed eyed glare.

"Fred and George are catching me up on A history of Magic." I lied smoothly just as Fred said,

"Homework." We exchanged innocent smiles. Mrs. Weasley shook her head at us.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're still on holiday!"

"Yeah, we've left it a bit late," George took that one. I knew better than to talk again.

"You're not by any chance writing out a new order form, are you? You wouldn't be thinking of restarting Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, by any chance?" Mrs. Weasley accused us. I gave her a wide-eyed, innocent smile.

"Now, Mum, if the Hogwarts Express crashed tomorrow, and George and I died, how would you feel to know that the last thing we ever heard from you was an unfounded accusation?" I laughed along with everyone else

"Oh your father's coming!" Mrs. Weasley suddenly exclaimed. There was a knock on the door and Mrs. Weasley called, "Coming, Arthur!" A few moments after that there was an exhausted Mr. Weasley with a tray of food sitting in the living room.

"Well, the fat's really in the fire now, Rita Skeeter's been ferreting around all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'l be the headline in the Prophet tomorrow. I told Bagman he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago."

"Mr. Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks," Percy just had to add his piece. I rolled my eyes.

"Crouch is very lucky Rita hasn't found out about Winky. there'd be a week's worth of headlines in his house-elf being caught holding the wand that conjured the Dark Mark."

"I thought we were all agreed that that elf, while irresponsible, did not conjure the Mark?" said Percy, annoyingly.

"If you ask me, Mr. Crouch is very lucky no one at the Daily Prophet knows how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione, and I sensed the beginning of another slave-elf rant. Lord help us.

"Now look here, Hermione! A high-ranking Ministry official like Mr. Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants-" Percy began hotly.

"Which would explain you, Percy." I muttered under my breath. Fred had to bite down to keep his laughs under control. George chuckled softly.

"His slave, you mean!" Apparently no one had heard me but the twins. "because he didn't pay Winky, did he?"

"I think you'd all better go upstairs and check that you've packed properly! Come on now, all of you!" Mrs. Weasley successfully broke up the argument. I got up and dusted off Ginny's jean shorts.

Fred, George, and I started ascending the stairs to our rooms. I sighed shaking my head.

"That's some brother you've got there." I told them still shaking my head.

"Yea, Perce can be annoying." Fred said. "But he's part of the family anyway. Besides, I bet in a few years he'll move out because of our blood traitorness." Fred rolled his eyes as he spoke bitterly about his brother. It didn't take a genius to sense the friction between the two. George just gave an uncomfortable shrug. "So what about you? You ready for Hogwarts?"

"I dunno. Everyone keeps telling me I'm going to love it, but I don't want to get my hopes up." I told them truthfully.

"Don't worry to much. Dumbledore is the best headmaster ever. It's Snape you have to look out for." Fred said.

"Oh." I looked over at George who was oddly quiet. "What's up?" I asked shoulder bumping him.

"Nothin. Just thinking." Was the very un-Georgelike response. I shared a glance with Fred.

"Oh. Okay. Whatever. See you guys." I said, stopping in front of my room. George just went into his room immediately.

"Whats up with him?" Fred shrugged.

"You're guess is as good as mine." He said, but his face betrayed some worry for his brother. I grinned.

"He's probably tired." I opened the door to my room. "Good night, Fred." and then to make it less awkward. "And tell George I said Good night too."

"G'night." Fred said as I shut my door. Packing wasn't much of an issue considering I had so _many _things to bring. Note the sarcasm. I just packed some of Ginny's clothes and my Hogwarts clothes. After that was done I changed into my Pajamas. Just as I was about to climb into bed, there was a knock at my door. I walked over and opened it to the Fred Weasley wearing a big grin.

"Come on! It's our last day of summer. You didn't really think that was it did you?" Fred asked in a excited whisper.

"Um, yea, I kinda did. And where's George?" I said. It was weird how I could tell them apart. Fred had deeper hazel eyes and more prominent freckles.

"Come on!" I exited the room quietly, and together Fred and I snuck down the hallway, but we were going in the wrong direction. Instead of heading toward the stairs, we were heading towards the windows.

"Where are we going?" I whispered so quietly that at first I wasn't sure he heard me.

"Don't worry, Sere. It's fine." I rolled my eyes at his laid-back response.

"Now I'm very worried." I whispered. We reached the window and he opened it and took out his wand. "Fred-" I started cautiously.

"Accio broomsticks!" For a second nothing happened. Then there was a distant whoosh and two broomsticks flew toward us. We caught them and mounted them. I'd gotten quite good at riding broomsticks in the past week (I could even ride Harry's firebolt really well). We shot out the window and into the night sky. The sun was just setting on the horizon. We flew side by side at astounding speeds.

"Race you!" I laughed and urged my broomstick faster. Fred was just a little bit ahead of me now and I pressed myself to the broom. Now I was going a little faster than Fred. Fred reached out and grabbed the end of my broom, slowing me. Then, he shot passed me and laughed. "Fred! You cheater!" I laughed as I flew next to him. I dove into the forest and he followed. I flew around trees and surprisingly avoiding all of them. Fred was keeping up and even passing me.

"HEY! LOOK A DISTRACTION!" He yelled and I, being the naive girl I am, looked. The tree seemed to appear before me at the last second. I swerved to avoid it and just barely made it.

"Fred! You almost killed me!" He was practically dying with laughter. I flew next to him and punched him in the shoulder. My foot lashed out and kicked the back of his broom. He cried in surprise as he momentarily lost control of the broom. Regaining control, he glared at me. The trees were thinning and I realized we were close to a town. I pulled up the broom but fred grabbed the end and yanked me back down. For a moment, I lost my grip on the broom. A moment was all it took to come crashing down onto Fred who consequently crashed into the ground. We went tumbling down a hill and into a street. A muggle street.

"This isn't good. What about our brooms?" Fred whispered.

"Fred, can I stand up?" I asked rhetorically.

"Yea, sure." Fred said in a distracted whisper. He was probably looking for our brooms.

"Well, I can't because you're on top of me!" A red faced Fred climbed off of me and helped me up. Suddenly, something caught my eye. A big sign said ICE CREAM HERE! It was a street vendor selling ice cream. I looked at it wistfully. I don't remember ice cream. I think it tasted good, but I'm not sure.

Fred must've seen me looking because he walked over to the stand. I followed cautiously, "I'll take two, please. One cookies and creme and one…" he looked at me.

"I've never had ice cream before." I said, looking at the ground. I could sense his surprise.

"Never? I'll just get you one of my favorite flavors then." and then he turned to the guy behind the stand. "One peanut butter chocolate chip. Small. Cones yes. No sprinkles." Fred paid the man and handed me my cone. I cautiously licked it. Immediately, a sweet, creamy goodness exploded in my mouth. It tasted amazing. I quickly licked it a few more times. Fred laughed at my enthusiasm. "So how is it you've never tasted ice cream before?"

"My parents kept me under a very strict diet." I said, pausing to lick the heavenly substance.

"And you never wanted to disobey them and eat it anyway?" Fred inquired.

"Do I look like the type of girl who disobeys her parents?" I asked Fred with a look. He snorted.

"Yes. I bet you also went into back alleyways." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. I almost chocked on my ice cream.

"FRED!" I exclaimed. He laughed at my expression.

"Oh, look!" Fred pointed at two broomsticks sticking out from a bush. We grabbed them and flew into the air. I looked at Fred's ice cream, wondering what it tasted like.

"Can I have a taste of yours?" He asked before I could. We traded ice creams and I licked his. It was really good, but I still like mine better.

"Mine's better." I said playfully nudging him. We were hovering in the air, watching the last bit of sun dip below the horizon. It was just that time of night where the world is lit up with yellows, purples, greens, and oranges. The entire sky was a different color.

"No, cookies and creme is my favorite flavor. How dare you accuse your peanut butter and chocolate of being better!" Fred said in mock indignation. We traded back and laughed. A comfortable silence settled down on us and we both watched the sunset.

"Wow." I breathed. "Where I come from we don't get sunsets like these."

"Yeah, it's beautiful." But Fred wasn't looking at the sunset; he was looking at me. I looked back at the sunset just as it disappeared, leaving us in darkness. I was happy Fred couldn't see me blush.

"Come on! We should get back." I said.

"Yea." Fred said, snapping out of it. Whatever _it _was. "Merry end of the summer, Serena Williams. And may you wreck havoc on the poor teachers this school year."

"Same to you, Fred Weasley. Merry end of the summer." We flew back in silence. After storing the broomsticks in the shed we scaled the wall to the third story window. I opened the door to my room and stood there for a minute in silence. "Thanks, Fred. I had a lot of fun." I smiled.

"Yea, me too. I almost feel bad for the teachers this year. You're going to be our secret weapon. It's great because you look so innocent. I think it's part of your charm."I laughed.

"Like being the not-so-honest prankster is part of your charm?" I said laughing and he joined in. "Well I better get to bed. Tomorrow is going to be chaotic. G'night."

"G'night." Fred said, and I shut the door. I climbed into bed, thinking I wouldn't sleep a wink. The second my head hit the pillow I was gone.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Arthur! Arthur! Urgent message from the Ministry!" I faintly heard. I opened my bleary eyes to the morning sunlight streaming through the window. Wasn't there something I was supposed to do today? Oh, well I'll get it later. Besides, isn't today the day I go to Hogwarts? I should get to sleep-SHIT! I shot up in bed and looked at the clock. 9:00. Crap, crap, crap! I stumbled toward the door and fumbled for a second with the knob before realizing it was a pull door. Stumbling down the hall and entering the bathroom only took a couple minutes (I tripped on my foot).

Once in the bathroom I ran a cold shower to wake myself up. When I stepped out of the shower, I was fully awake and alert. I brushed my teeth and hair before heading toward my room to get changed. I wore a blue shirt that brought out my eyes and a pair of ripped skinny jeans. I threw on some converse and checked the time (9:30). Shit, shit, SHIT!

I sprinted down the stairs with my trunk to find everyone ready to go. Apparently, they had all been waiting for me. There were annoyed and amused glances and one "Hurry up, dear!"

"I know! I know! Sorry! Overslept!" I said going to the table and shoving a piece of toast in my mouth. Now everyone was trying to hold back laughs.

"Oh! The muggle taxi drivers are here!" I nearly joked on my toast and the orange juice I was trying to drink. Everyone laughed with the exception of Percy. Prick. I took a huge swallow.

"Muggle WHAT?" Everyone ignored me.

"Oh dear, they don't look happy, do they?" I'd like to point out that all the owls were making horrendous rackets and if I were the taxi cab driver I would have left us in the middle of the forest. George, Fred and I held our sides from laughing when a bunch of fireworks went off and Fred's trunk snapped open. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Mrs. Weasley and Bill were all squished into the first taxi. No one looked overly happy in that one. I was (unfortunately) the last to get into the second cab. Charlie was in the front next to the driver. Ginny was the farthest left and then next to her George and closest to where I was standing in the rain.

"Scoot over, Fred!" I yelled. Fred smirked and shook his head.

"Oh, looks like there's no room! guess you'll just have to sit on my lap." I bit my lip to keep from screaming at him.

"I'd rather sit in the mud." I spit out. He smirked and shrugged. Why was he being so arrogant today? Must be the early morning.

"Suit yourself." He made to close the door and it started pouring harder. I made a split second decision and slipped into the cab. A smirking Fred closed the door. I sat shivering in his lap. I sent pleading glances at Ginny. She and George made room and I squished in between them, glaring at Fred. For a moment Fred pouted.

"See! Now everyones squished in here! It's all your fault." I stared at him in astonishment.

"Well, if your ego wasn't so big…" I said. George and Ginny laughed and even Charlie glanced at us from the mirror and chuckled. The rest of the ride to the station was silent and everyone was happy when we finally arrived.

We ran through the rain to get into King's Cross Station as Mrs. Weasley called it. We rolled our carts through and came to stop at a seemingly normal column. I grabbed the end of my cart and looked at the column that had a nine attached to it.

"What platform do we want?" I asked. Maybe they were lost.

"Platform 9 and 3/4." Mrs. Weasley replied smoothly. I leaned on the column behind me.

"Are you kidding? Because there is no such-" Remember that column I was trying to lean on? Well I fell through it, taking my cart with me. I lay sprawled on the ground for a minute.

"Wow. Watch it you mudblood klutz." I sat up to see a pale boy with pale blonde hair and pale green eyes. He had a drawl and I didn't like him, but I try not to judge on first appearance.

"Aw, shut up and help me up. Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" He looked surprised for a moment and reached down with a hand to pull me up. I took it gratefully and was pulled up. He looked surprised at himself more than me.

"Are your parents wizards? Or muggles?" He asked. I studied him, looking for the best answer. Judging by the way he said muggles, that wouldn't be a good answer. Finally I decided on a half-lie.

"My parents didn't give two shits about me." I said with a smirk. "Why should I care if they're muggles or wizards? As long as they keep they're noses out of my life." He was now shocked at me. Slowly, he started to smile.

"I like you." He announced with a smirk. "You'd make a good Slytherin. What's your name?" Just then, Fred appeared behind me and put an arm around my neck.

"Hey, Sere." George said, putting his arm around my neck too.

"What are you conversing with scum like Malfoy?" I glared at Fred. Who's he to call other people scum?

"Serena Williams." I said as if Fred and George weren't there. I mostly offered my hand to Malfoy to spite a now very irritated Fred.

"Draco Malfoy." He said and we shook hands.

"Draco!" He looked back to see a blonde haired woman beckoning for him. It must've been his mom.

"I have to go. You'd do well to choose your friends wisely." And in one smooth motion my face shut down and became hard and cold.

"And you'd do well to watch your tongue." I said coldly.

"Why you little... watch your mouth!" He said hotly.

"Watch your back." I returned cooly and turned away from him. George and Fred laughed.

"Good one." George said, helping me load my trunk onto the Hogwarts Express.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," Charlie said behind us. I whipped around to find the Weasley family there. Ginny was hugging Charlie.

"Why?" Asked Fred.

"You'll see, just don't tell Percy I mentioned it… it's 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all." Charlie quoted. I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"Yeah, I sort of wish I were back at Hogwarts this year," Bill sounded wistful and it was piquing my interest.

"Why?" George was getting impatient.

"You're going to have an interesting year, I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it…" Bill hinted.

"A bit of what?" Ron asked just as I said "Just tell us already!"

"Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said just as the whistle blew.

"Yeah, thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley," Harry added.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." I said, recognizing this will probably be the last time I talk to her. She pulled me into a hug.

"Come anytime dears! Oh it was my pleasure! I'd invite you for Christmas, but… well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with.. one thing and another."

"Mum! What d'you three know that we don't?" Ron asked hotly.

"You'll find out this evening, I expect. It's going to be very exciting - mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules -" "What rules?" Ron, Harry, Fred, and George together.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you… Now, behave won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George?"

"Not to break up the teary good bye, but if we don't get on the train it's going to leave without us." I said. We piled into the staircase as the train began to move.

"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred shouted out the window. "What rules are they changing?" Everyone just smiled and waved. I put a hand on Fred's shoulder.

"I don't think they're going to tell us." I shouted in his ear above the roar of the engines. He winced.

"No need to shout!" He shouted in my ear. We laughed and Harry, Ron, and Hermione left. I started to follow them, but Fred grabbed me. "Where do you think you're going?"

"With Harry, Ron and Hermione?" I asked.

"Wrong, we have to introduce you to our friends." He said smiling almost evilly. I gulped. So five minutes later I was in a compartment with a dude I've never seen before.

"This is Lee Jordan." I looked at him.

"Hey. What's up?" I asked with a half wave in his direction. He scrutinized me.

"I like her!" He said. Second time today I heard that phrase. I gave him a million dollar smile.

We took our seats and the train ride continued. We talked about all different things (Mostly different kinds of pranks and what there was in store for us at Hogwarts). I was growing weary of the conversation to tell you the truth. Every once in a while someone would stop by and say hi to the Weasley twins and I would get introduced. So far, I've met Katie Bell, Susan Bones, Lucy Farchester, Lilly Ross, Lee Jordan, Jared Nickleback and Michael Gloss.

"Hey look who it is!" I looked up to see a very (Very!) hot boy enter the compartment. O.M.G.

"Hey, Fred. George. Lee…." He trailed off as he looked at me.

"Oh. Have you met our newest member yet?" George asked.

"No I don't believe I've had the pleasure yet." The boy was a little taller than me with deep brown eyes and messy brown hair (imagine Peter Parker from the amazing spiderman). "I'm Seth Riche."

"Serena Williams." I said shaking his hand. He turned it over and kissed it. I blushed furiously.

"Charmed." then, turning back to Fred. "I have to go but I might stop by later." He winked at me before going out. I sat down, realizing everyone was staring at me.

"What?" I snapped after three full minutes of staring. Before anyone could answer there was a creak as the compartment door opened. A girl with blonde hair down to her mid back stood there. She had piercing diamond eyes and a button nose. She wasn't wearing any makeup which was an immediate upside in my book. She was about as tall as me and was palish. She smiled at us revealing perfectly straight, white teeth. All the boys stared at her. I coughed.

"Can we help you?" She focused on me. Her eyes widened a little.

"Can I sit here everywhere else is full?" She asked, seemingly directly to me. I nodded and was nearly crushed into the wall when George scooted over to make room for her. Instead, she chose to sit across from me. George pouted a bit.

"George." I gasped out. "Can't. Breathe." He looked at me apologetically moving.

"Sorry, Serena."

"So, what's your name?" I asked the girl. She looked up from her phone.

"Alexias Allgood, but y'all can call me Lex." She said, smiling.

"I'm Serena Williams." I said. She looked confused for a moment, but shrugged.

"Cool name."

"You too. Oh, and this is Fred, George, and Lee Jordan." She waved to them in turn.

"So how come your not sitting with your friends?" I inquired.

"Oh, I don't have any." seeing our looks she added quickly. "I'm new, but I'm sixteen. I know weird."

"No, actually, me too." I said and she brightened.

"Really?" I nodded. That was how I met my best friend. Again.

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	8. Chapter 7

****This one's really long! Hope you enjoy it! I've been without wifi for a while so that's why I'm updating so fast right now! Review! Follow! Any suggestions or whatever is appreciated!****

Chapter 7

The train hissed to a stop and all the kids got off. Fred, George, Lee, Lex and I had long since changed into our robes. We were boarding a carriage now when a HUGE hand was placed on my shoulder. I grabbed the hand and twisted around, fists ready. The actions surprised me as much as they did the bulky figure in front of me.

"'A'e you Serena Coldblood?" He asked in a deep gravely voice. My head nodded ascent even though Coldblood wasn't the name I'd made for myself. Could that be my real last name?

"Hagrid! Stop scaring Sere!" Fred admonished, causing me to jump. I hadn't realized he'd come out of the carriage and was now standing next to me. Lex was gawking up at Hagrid on my other side.

"She has to b' sort'd, Fred. There a'e four new fourth years this year, bu' all three a'e sixteen. Strange, isn't it?" Hagrid said. "Speakin' o' which. You wouldn't mind tellin' me where ter fin' an Alexias Allgood?"

"I'm Alexias Allgood." Lex spoke up from my left. She had managed to close her mouth and straighten to her full height (which was still short compared to Hagrid).

"You her fo'ow me." Hagrid said, and turning back to Fred. "How 'bout an Birch Coldblood?" At the name Birch my breath caught and I stiffened. The dream flashed before my eyes so real it could've been happening in front of me. My hands balled into fists, and my fingernails dug into the soft flesh of my palms.

"You okay?" I looked at Fred's concerned gaze and nodded. "Wait, Coldblood?"

"Yea, I'm fine." I forced myself to relax and followed Hagrid and Lex away from the carriage. "See you guys at Hogwarts." I threw over my shoulder as I walked away. I heard a wolf whistle from behind me and rolled my eyes.

Hagrid prattled on about how great Hogwarts was, but I wasn't really listening. Four new fourth years? All in my situation. Coincidence? I should think not. What if the other three can't remember anything either? I made a mental note to ask Lex about it. I was so deeply in thought that I almost ran into Hagrid.

"Are you Birch Coldblood?" I heard Hagrid ask. I stepped around Hagrid to see the boy from my dreams in flesh in front of me. We stared at each other and I saw my confusion and wonder reflected into his eyes. He nodded mutely, then looked surprised.

"Se-re-na?" He said the name as if it were foreign. He looked more surprised after he spoke my name then when he first saw me. I cocked my head to the side and regarded him.

"Come on. We still 'ave one mo'e to pick up before we go." Hagrid told us. Birch started to walk toward me but I shook my head. Now is not the time or the place. I suppressed the itch for answers that arose inside me, and I used my hand to subtly motion Birch away. He glared for a minute before jogging next to Hagrid.

"You must be Hagrid." A boy said, seeming to appear from the shadows. He had a light tan with sun blonde hair and puppy dog brown eyes. I felt Lex stiffen next to me and turned my head to find her glowering at her foot. She glanced up quickly and shared a knowing look with the boy who gave a slight smirk. Lex's eyes darted back to the ground and she glared ferociously at her shoe. They knew something. I would be asking Lex about this boy later.

"Austin Reed." Hagrid said more of a statement than a question. Then, without another word, we were piled into a carriage. Four of us cramped on one side and Hagrid taking up the entire back seat. I was smooshed in between Austin and Lex, who kept exchanging smirks and glares. Birch was on the other side of Lex and was smooshed into the door of the carriage.

We walked next to Hagrid in a sea of kids up the marble staircase and entered the entrance hall. It was my first look at Hogwarts and I have to say it was just as fantastic as Fred described. Though Hogwarts had an undeniable beauty I (and the three other kids next to me I would imagine) found it hard to appreciate for I was dripping wet and wringing water out of my soaked Hogwarts robes.

"Blimey! If that keeps up the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak-" I jumped and saw Ron, Hermione, and Harry along with a boy I didn't recognize standing beside me.

"Oh, hey guys." I said and was about to add more when a huge water balloon exploded on Ron's head, drenching him more.

"ARRGH!" He yelled and I dodged the droplets of water. A second water balloon exploded at Harry's feet. That was when chaos broke loose. I figured out two things in the twenty seconds that followed: 1) I was completely at home in chaos 2) when you find a shelter, make sure no ones hiding in it first.

I maneuvered around people with a skillful grace. from afar it would have seemed like I was dancing. Finally, I found a shelter in a narrow ledge under the stairs. I crouched beneath it and tried to push myself farther in. I sat on the ground and that was when someone started shoving me.

"Hey! Find your own hiding spot!" Though I only heard the voice once I think I would recognize it anywhere. Draco Malfoy. Now I was being pushed from both sides. A very wet Lex Allgood squished in beside me.

"Lex! I was just drying!" I complained playfully, completely ignoring Draco.

"Both of you get out of this spot right now!" Draco said hotly, glaring at the both of us.

"Hey! Watch your mouth, boy! I'm old enough to be your mother!" Lex said matter-of-factly. I snickered.

"My mother! You're not even fifteen!" Draco said. Lex bristled.

"Sixteen. Thank you very much." She snapped.

"Fancy meeting you hear, Draco." I broke in. Lex paled when I said his name.

"Draco? As in…"

"Draco Malfoy, Scum." Draco insulted her and introduced himself in three words. A personal best probably.

"Listen up, buddy boy, I don't give a crap about who you or your fath-" I cut of Lex's words with my laughter. Lex and Draco looked at me weirdly. I pointed to a poor kid who just got hit by water balloon and slipped. A girl then proceeded to trip onto him and they were both blushing like mad.

"Young love." I said, laughing. Lex joined in and even Draco cracked a small smile.

"Get out!" Draco hissed suddenly. The last of the children were clearing out and we scrambled out of our hiding spot and rushed to join them just as they disappeared into the dining hall- or Great hall as I later found out it was called.

"Draco Malfoy!" I heard a teacher snap.

"Yes, professor?"

"Why were you wandering off?"

"I didn't-"

"Detention already, Mr. Malfoy?" Lex suddenly disappeared and ran back to where the teacher was snapping at Draco. I rolled my eyes towards heaven in a silent prayer before running after her.

"Draco, come on! What's the hold up?" Lex asked, feigning impatience. She descended the marble staircase to see a withered old library looking lady in front of Draco. "Oh, sorry, Professor…"

"McGonagall. And who may you be?"

"Alexias Allgood. I'm new."

"You're to old to be new."

"I'm one of the transfers. I got lost and Draco was showing me back to the group. Me and Serena."

"Hi, Professor." I said sticking out my hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Harry and Hermione talked about you." I thought it wise not to mention the Weasleys; especially the twins. Plus McGonagall's face softened a tad at Hermione's name.

"Go into the great hall, then. No detention for you, Mr. Malfoy, but don't let me catch you sneaking off again!" We hurried into the great hall without a word to each other. Lex and I went to the front of the room where the new students and Austin and Birch were gathered. McGonagall came in a moment later and took her seat at a big table at the front of the room. A stool with a dusty old hat was placed in the middle of the front of the room. I couldn't help feeling awkward as no one around me reached my shoulder height except for Lex, Austin, and Birch.

The sorting hat opened his mouth and began to sing. The song wasn't very long and I feel no reason to repeat it to you know (I probably don't remember all the words anyways). Everyone applauded, so I hesitantly joined in. McGonagall unrolled a large scroll.

"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool. When the hat announces your House you will go and sit at the appropriate table." she cleared her throat. "Ackerley, Stewart!" A trembling boy walked forward and the hat was placed on his head.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat yelled. A table shrouded in blue broke out into cheers.

"Baddock, Malcolm!"

"SLYTHERIN!" This time a table in green applauded loudly.

"Branstone, Eleanor!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The yellow table this time.

"Cauldwell, Owen!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Creevey, Dennis!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. The table where all my friends sat erupted into cheers and hoots.

The rest of the sorting went like that until all that were left were Birch, Lex, Austin, and me. McGonagall explained about us and we came to be known as the 'transfers'.

"Coldblood, Serena." Everyone was silent as I walked up to the stool and sat down in it. The sorting hat was place on my head.

"Aaahhh. A Coldblood. I haven't had one of you in quite some time."

"My mother came here?" I thought at it, desperate for knowledge.

"And father. This is how they met! She never told-Ah, I see. You can't remember anything. You're memory has been ripped away from you. That's a very bad sign."

"What do you mean? Am I important?"

"Smart girl! Always questioning. Yes, you are important. But now for the sorting. You should not be in Hufflepuff. That much is clear from the tiny bit of information you have on yourself."

"How can you sort me if I don't know myself?"

"I can't that is why for the second time in history…" The hat opened it's mouth.

Instead of yelling the hat spoke in a monotone voice that carried throughout the room and seemed to hang in the air, "Inconclusive." I took the hat off and looked at McGonagall for guidance. She was looking an old man with a white beard and half moon spectacles. The man beckoned for me to stand to the side and for McGonagall to continue with the sorting. McGonagall cleared her throat and continued.

"Allgood, Alexias" She called. A few moments passed.

"SLYTHERIN!" I was surprised to say the least. I must admit I was hoping Lex would get an inconclusive result. She threw a discreet look at the Gryffindor table and I would almost say it was a longing look. The Slytherins seemed to finally realize what happened and cheered and applauded.

"Reed, Austin" The sorting hat was placed on his blonde hair.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Austin, just like Lex had snuck a discreet glance but towards the Slytherin table. Something was not right here.

"Coldblood, Birch" Birch was on for a whole minute before the hat opened its mouth. I crossed my fingers.

"Inconclusive." I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't the only one. Everyone started murmuring in confusion. Dumbledore stood up and raised his hand for silence. The hall instantly quieted.

"In this unlikely event, I have decided to let the students choose which house they would like to be in." I could've jumped for joy. Instead I just smiled at the headmaster.

"Coldblood, Serena."

"Gryffindor." I said and the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers led by the Weasleys, Hermione, and Harry. I sat down between Fred and George who had instantly made room.

"Coldblood, Birch."

"Ravenclaw." He said and I was a little disappointed, but I shrugged it off. My eyes followed him to where he sat next to a pale blonde haired girl that looked a year younger than him.

"I have only two words to say to you. Tuck in." Dumbledore said and our empty plates magically filled with food. I grinned and started eating.

"You're lucky there's a feast at all tonight, you know." I turned to look at a floating…ghost. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."

"Why? Wha'appened?" Jeez. don't talk with your mouth full.

"Peeves, of course." The ghost shook his head.

"Peeves? Wasn't he the ghost who pulled that water balloon stunt?" I asked after I'd swallowed.

"I'm Nearly Headless Nick."

"Nearly Headless? How-" I saw Hermione shaking her head. "Nevermind. So what happened?"

"Oh, the usual. Wrecked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits-" Clang. Hermione was livid at the mention of house elves. I rolled my eyes and went back to George and Fred's conversation.

"So, what shall we do this year. I was thinking of setting fireworks off in Snape's office."

"Yea, did you notice the DADA teacher hasn't even arrived yet?"

"Rumor is the jobs cursed." Katie Bell spoke up from across the table.

"Why?" I asked.

"Oh! I keep forgetting you weren't here!" Lucy Farchester piped up from her place next to Katie. Lucy had curly reddish orange hair that she wore in a side ponytail. She was fair skinned with freckles and blue eyes. She was rather pretty, and had a high voice. She has a tendency to get overexcited, and I've only known her for half a day, but she seems nice enough.

"Well the first year-" Before Michael could continue, a huge clap of thunder shook the room and lightning flashed. I made a motion for him to continue. "The first year-well-we had a bit of a two faced teacher." Fred nearly chocked on his pudding I slapped him on the back.

"Literally." Seth joined the conversation, winking at me. "The word is that You-Know-Who is on the rise again. So, anyway. The first year no one is really sure what happened to Quirrel, all we know is one day he was there and the next he was gone. Dumbledore told us he had a most unfortunate and mysterious death. The second year-"

"The _second_ year," Fred spat with sudden venom. Everyone around him shot him sympathetic looks. "We had a fraud and an old fool to teach us nothing. And when the time came for something to be done-"

"Dude, chill. It happened two years ago. She's fine." Seth cut into Fred's rant.

"Who?" I asked, curiously, looking at Seth.

"Ginny. Anyway,"

"Wait, what happened to Ginny?" Everyone was glancing at Fred and George who were glaring at there plates. I became suddenly aware of the tension. Lucy and Lilly made death motions with their hands across their necks.

"Anyway the third year was best, I think. We had a great professor and he taught us a lot."

"What was the hitch?" I asked.

"He was a werewolf." Lucy whispered, looking at the ground.

"Oh, just that." I said as if it were nothing. Lucy gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah… just that."

"Are you okay?" Michael asked.

"What? Yeah I'm fine." Lucy said returning to her usual peppy self. I opened my mouth to say something when a huge clap of thunder sounded and the doors flew open. A grotesque figure walked through the door with a dull clank of his wooden leg. The man had a weird fake eye and scars all along his body. He looked pretty cool if you ask me. The man walked to the front of the room and greeted the headmaster, whose name I still hadn't known, but I assumed it was Dumbledore from Fred and George's descriptions.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Professor Moody." No one clapped except for Dumbledore and Hagrid, who quickly stopped.

"Moody? He can't mean Mad-eye Moody! Dad went to help him just this morning." Fred said.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "As I was saying, we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century . It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" Fred yelled. Everyone laughed including me.

"I am not joking Mr. Weasley, though now that you mention it, I did tear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar…" McGonagall cleared her throat. "Er, maybe this is not the time… no…. where was I? Ah, yes, the Triwizard Tournament…well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued.

_Death toll?_

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore said continuing with his story. "none of which has been very successful. However, our own Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.

"The Heads of Beauxvatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their shortlisted contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

"I'm going for it!" Fred hissed enthusiastically.

"Me too." I agreed, matching his enthusiasm.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, the Heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This-" Dumbledore had to put his hand up for the onslaught of outrage. The Weasley twins looked furious, but I would just find a way around the age line. "is a measure we feel necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuing that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge tint making them the Hogwarts champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the =greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop Chop!"

"They can't do that!" George yelled. "We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?"

"They're not stopping me entering. The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be able to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"

"Come on! We're going to be left alone." I said grabbing Fred and George by there ears and pulling them towards the door. "Besides! I want to see the common room!" I couldn't help adding enthusiastically.

"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" Harry asked

"It's not a who Harry, but a what. It's a goblet of some sort." I said. Everyone stared at me.

"How do you know that?" I shrugged. "Well, it's that thing we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George… Do you know how Dumbledore's planning on stopping us, Sere?"

"An aging line, I think. I don't know much more. That's all he'd tell me." I realized my mistake as soon as I said it. I bit my lip.

"He?" George asked looking at me. "Who's he?" Suddenly Hermione doubled over with peels of laughter. I bit my lip and looked at the ground.

"You."-gasp-"didn't." I nodded and whacked her lightly on the shoulder.

"What?" Fred asked.

"Well, I really wanted to know what was going to happen and Percy is the most weak willed out of all of you, so…" I shrugged. It really wasn't that hard. Just bat my eyelashes at him and a few kisses and boom now I know everything there is to know about the tournament. But we are not going out. He hates me now. Prick. The strange thing about the situation was I didn't know what I was doing, my body just did it for me. All I thought was oh I really want to know what's going on, and all of a sudden my body knew what to do. Fred and George looked sick and Ron, Harry and Hermione were on the floor with laughter. When the four managed to stand up, Ron said, "Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though."

"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred not looking at me. "Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names." It was as if he didn't hear any of the information I'd previously given.

"People have died, though!" Hermione said as we stepped through a hidden door.

"Yeah," Fred said as though he didn't care. "but that was years ago, wash;t it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk? Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get 'round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?" he asked, still ignoring me. He asked Ron just to spite me! I glowered at him.

"What d'you reckon? Be cool to enter wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older… Dunno if we've learned enough…"

"I definitely haven't." A voice behind Fred and George said. I whirled around to find the boy that was standing next to Hermione, Harry, and Ron before Peeves did his thing.

"Hey, I'm Serena Wil-Coldblood." I corrected myself. Shaking his hand.

"Neville Longbottom. I expect my gran'd want me to try, though. She's always going on about how I should be upholding the family honor. I;ll just have to - oops…." His foot sunk into the step I was about to step on. I wisely skipped that one and hopped onto the next. Ron and Harry helped him out. I whirled around to see an empty suit of armor laughing at him. Ron slammed down the armor's visor as they passed with a, "Shut it, you!"

"Password?" We reached a portrait of a lady.

"Balderdash," George said. "A prefect downstairs told me." he explained. The portrait swung forward to allow entrance to the hole in the wall. I walked through into the Gryffindor common room. Hermione told me she'd show me where my bed was. We said goodnight and departed, but not without one last glare at Fred.


	9. Chapter 8

****I'm doing two new OC (Lex and Austin). I need suggested OCs! Review the OCs you want. Please! I need input!****

Chapter 8

As it turned out, there were groups of five people per room and each kid had there own four poster bed. My stuff was already set up by my bed and there were drawers and everything. I immediately liked it. I shared a room with Lucy, Hermione, Ginny, and Lilly. Already I could tell who was muggle born and who wasn't. Ginny had a poster of Victor on her side of the room and pictures of her family laughing and playing. Next to her bed, Hermione's was obvious. She had posters of books and authors. Books were spilled on the floor making it almost impossible to get to her bed. Right now she was busy picking them up.

Lucy was more into natural beauty. Her posters were of a sunny beach and there was one of a dark forest with a full moon shining clear above it. Another way to differentiate Lucy's bed was buy all the postcards, she must've had a hundred postcards hung up all over, each one from a different place. It was really amazing. My bed looked bare and plain next to Lucy's and Lilly's. Lilly's was pink. I've never seen so much hot pink in one place in my life. Even the curtains to the window that was technically everbody's but it was by her bed so it was pink. Her sheets were hot pink and so was the comforter. She had painted the frame to her bed (or got magic to do it). Her pink trunk was at the foot of her bed. Even the walls she painted for crying out loud! On her walls was pictures of people I did not know at the time. There were posters of Taylor Swift, Justin Beiber, Selena Gomez, and one poster for Taylor Lautner.

I vowed to decorate mine as soon as I found the time. Currently, though, all I had time to do was get into my pajamas, brush my teeth and go to bed. The light was shut off and I closed my eyes with a smile on my face.

The next morning I threw on my uniform and did a quick clean up before running downstairs. When I got there I wolfed down a piece of toast. I joined Fred and George and Lee in conversation.

"I still think a few drops of aging potion would do it." Fred said.

"I dunno. I think the amount of frog oil in the potion could make the potion reverse, turning you into old men." I said. Lee nodded at me.

"So she's not just a pretty face." Lee said, sounding mildly surprised.

"Nope." I said patting Lee on the back. "But seriously, frog oil."

"We could always reduce the amount of frog oil. Or substitute it." Lee suggested.

"With?" George asked. Silence. What would serve as a working substitute for frog oil? Beetlejuice? No, too much sodium. How about-oh!

"Floberworm liver!" I said. Fred snapped his fingers and pointed at me.

"I knew she'd be useful. Good girl." Fred said and even had the audacity to pat my head. I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows.

"Whatever. I'm still getting 40% of all profits." I shoved the piece of toast I was buttering into my mouth and took out my schedule. I brightened considerably when I saw second period with Slytherins. I can talk to Lex.

"Wait, 40-"

"Oh. Double Divintations and Slytherins. That's rough." Fred interrupted Lee and made a not now gesture.

"Nah, it gives me a chance to talk to Lex."

"Oh yeah. How's our little traitor? I was always suspicious." George said. I glared at him.

"That's not what it looked like to me when I was being squished into the wall so she could sit next to her on the train." I said, raising an eyebrow. George laughed and shrugged helplessly.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for Lex to join the Slytherins, plus it's not like she chose to, right?" Lee said.

"She's Slytherin now and even if she was a nice girl they'll change her. Slytherins generally side with You-Know-Who, so just saying…" Fred said, implying. I patiently waited until I stopped seeing red to answer.

"Not all Slytherins are evil, Fred." I snapped, getting up. "Anyway, I have Herbology with Hufflepuffs now." I said grabbing my bag and leaving. "See you guys later."

"See ya." Fred said almost appologetically.

I met up with Hermione, Harry, and Ron on my way into Herbology. Everyone seemed lost in thought so I didn't say much.

"Bubotubers, they need squeezing. You will collect the pus-" the teacher, Professor Sprout said briskly.

"The what?" Said a boy that introduced himself as Seamus Finnigan.

"Pus, Finnigan, pus, and it's extremely valuable, so don't waste it. You will collect the pus, I say, in these bottles. Wear your dragon-hid gloves; it can do funny things to the skin when undiluted, bubotuber pus."

The class went by rather quickly. Squeezing the pus out of plants was not as disgusting and tedious as I first thought. I made pleasant conversation with several people during the class and I knew a few more peoples names, but the oddest was when Austin Reed came over.

"Hey." I almost dropped my plant.

"Hey." I said just as cooly.

"So…" I could tell he was thinking of something to say.

"Why Hufflepuff?" I asked. I sensed his surprise without turning.

"What d'ya mean?" He asked, dumbly. I rolled my eyes and turned so I was facing him.

"Listen, if you're going to keep playing the dumb angle I'm going to just stop talking to you now. No one said anything about me being inconclusive, but I suspect Dumbledore knows something or is going to talk to me about it. If you think I'm stupid enough to think that me going to school here and starting fourth year at sixteen when there are three other kids doing the same thing isn't suspicious, you're badly mistaken. What's more suspicious is that each one of those sixteen year olds went into a different house. So," I looked over at him and set my plant down. Leaning against the table, I looked him right in the eyes. "why did you choose to get placed into Hufflepuff."

"You really don't remember, do you?" His question took me off guard, but I gave a sarcastic laugh and rolled my eyes, turning back to my work.

"I don't know what your talking about." I said.

"I think you do." He said and when I didn't reply he continued. "You've changed, Serena. You used to be more serious and cold, less caring."

"Anyone could say that to me."

"I knew you, before you lost your memory." Now I turned fully to face him. No more playing dumb or beating around the bush. I was two inches shorter than him, but I faced him anyways. I looked him right in the eye.

"I don't believe you." I told him.

"Well you should." He said.

"Convince me." I smirked.

"This;ll keep Madam Pomfrey happy." Professor Sprout said, stoppering the bottles with corks. "An excellent remedies for the more stubborn forms of acne, bubotuber pus. Should stop students resorting to desperate measures to rid themselves of pimples."

"Like poor Eloise Midgen," said a girl that introduced herself as Hannah Abbott, Hufflepuff, said. "She tried to curse hers off."

"Silly girl, but Madam Pomfrey fixed her nose back in the end." What? I silently screamed, but didn't say anything. A bell made me jump and all the students started filing out.

"Come on, Sere!" Hermione called, beckoning me. I started toward where her Ron and Harry were waiting. Austin caught my wrist and whispered softly in my ear.

"If you want to your memories back, meet me at the library at midnight." I shivered, and before I could ask anything else, he walked away.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked nodding to Austin's receding form. I gave another involuntary shudder before shrugging.

"Nothing." I said. "I hope." I muttered as an afterthought. Hermione looked skeptical, but didn't ask.

Hagrid was standing outside his hut when we came down the hill towards Care of Magical Creatures. I had successfully put off thinking about Austin and started thinking about Lex. Why the heck had she chosen to go to Slytherin when she clearly wanted to be a Gryffindor?

"Hey, Harry?" I asked.

"Yeah?" He said.

"Can you tell the sorting hat what house you want to be in? Does it take your vote into consideration?" I asked, maybe that's how Austin and Lex went into different houses.

"Er-yeah. I think so." Harry said shakily. Ron and Hermione looked at us quizzically. Ron opened his mouth but an odd rattling sound interrupted whatever he would've said. It sounded like Fred's mini smoke bombs just went off.

"Mornin'!" Said a grinning Hagrid. "Be'er wait few the Slytherins, they won; want her miss this - Blast-Ended Skrewts!"

"Come again?" Ron asked.

"Eurgh!" Lavender squealed loudly. I winced and looked to where she was pointing. They were nasty buggers and looked like mutant, zombie lobsters. I made a face.

"On'y jus' hatched," Hagrid said. "So yeh'll be able her raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"

"And why would we want to raise them?" I turned to see Malfoy and the Slytherins had, in fact, arrived (I had thought the lot of 'em would ditch). I spotted Lex and gave her a small wave. Her mouth twitch and she glanced at me, but turned away. I understood the Slytherins probably didn't normally like Gryffindors.

"I mean, what do they do? What is the point of them?" Malfoy continued with his obnoxious drawl.

"Tha's next lesson, Malfoy. Yer jus' feeding' 'em today. Now, yeh'll wan' ter try 'em on a few different things - I've never had 'em before not sure what they'll go fer-I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass snake - just try 'em out with a bit of each." Hagrid instructed. My face must've looked like I just sucked a lemon because I could hear Harry silently laughing at me.

"Your face." He whispered. I unpuckered my face.

"First pus and now this." Seamus muttered. I grinned at him.

"Lord help us." I muttered back, rolling up my sleeves and reaching into the frog liver. I walked over to where Lex was lowering some grass snake for a skrewt.

"So, why Slytherin." her eyes flicked for a millisecond, but i caught the reflex. I followed the glance to Malfoy, who was busy making a face at one of the skrewts. "Malfoy? You guys got a thing?" I asked, trying not to make a face.

"No." She laughed.

"Oh, good. Cause I really didn't want to play the supportive friend in that relationship." I said, causing her to laugh again.

"But it does have something to do with Malfoy. So, spill." I said. She bit her lip.

"Okay, so I know his dad, we used to be neighbors. His mom asked me to look out for him when we were at Hogwarts." She whispered as if worried someone would hear.

"And you couldn't do that if you were a Gryffindor." I finished for her. She nodded.

"Yeah, I'm trying to turn him over to the good side." She bit her lip, and my eyes widened.

"Does this have to do with Voldemort?" She winced.

"Don't say his name!" She hissed at me. "Yes. Kinda." She withdrew her hand quickly from the container quickly with a hiss. Her finger was bleeding where the skrewt stung her. A welt was already forming. "I've said too much already."

"Wha-?" I started, but she was walking away. "Wait!"

"I can certainly see why we're trying to keep them alive," Malfoy's sarcasm cut through my thoughts. "Who wouldn't want pets that can burn, sting, and bite all at once?"

"Just because they're not very pretty, it doesn't mean they're not useful," Hermione snapped at Malfoy. "Dragon blood's amazingly magical, but you wouldn't want a dragon for a pet, would you?"

The lunch bell rang and I walked with Harry, Ron, and Hermione to lunch. I was lost in thought so we didn't have much conversation on the way to lunch.

"Well, at least the skrewts are small," Ron finally said.

"They are now, but once Hagrid's found what they eat, I expect they'll be six feet long." Hermione joined in.l

"Well that won't matter if they turn out to cure seasickness or something, will it?" Ron said, smiling slyly.

"You know perfectly well I only said that to shut Malfoy up," Hermione said.

"I think he's right. Who knows when they'll grow and start attacking us?" I spoke up. Hermione nodded.

I sat down next to Lee,Fred and George for lunch.

"Hey." I said, setting my tray down. They nodded to me.

"Hey. We're working on the ingredient list for the aging potion." Fred said, getting to business, but then adding, "So how was half of your first day?"

"I think I had the grossest classes first." I said, wrinkling my nose. "First pus from plants then mutant lobsters." I earned laughs from all three boys.

"Hey, did you get to talk to Lex?" George asked.

"No, I think she was avoiding me." I lied, looking down at my food. I didn't want to tell them in as public a place as the Great Hall. I forked some mashed potatoes into my mouth and the steak was really good. "Pass me the list." I changed the subject.

"Sure, we added the floberworm liver, and completely took out the frog oil." George informed me. I nodded, thoughtfully reviewing the list.

"Horned slugs?" I asked, skeptically.

"We're crushing them, minimizing the juice." Fred said. Smart. I nodded my approval.

"This should work." I said, thoughtfully. Suddenly someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned and found myself looking into the brown pools of Austin Reed. I jerked back and almost spilled my juice but caught it.

"Some reflex you got there." I glared at him, still angry about earlier.

"What do you want, Reed?" I asked coldly.

"I wanted to know if you've thought about it." He didn't say it like a question. Like I had a choice. He told me I had to tell him. My glare froze over. I turned and started stabbing my mashed potatoes, ignoring him. Finally, he grew impatient. "Well?"

"Go away, Reed." I said icily, still not turning around.

"Not until you tell me your answer." He said.

"Go. Away." I ground out. I could tell he clenched his teeth in frustration.

"No." He said plainly. I stabbed my potatoes more ferociously.

"Leave. Me. Alone." Each word was punctuated with a stab. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"She said to leave her alone." I looked up, surprised. I hadn't realized Fred got up. Fred yanked Austin's hand from my shoulder. I flushed, realizing I had attracted a small crowd. Austin's eyes flicked from Fred to me. He met my eyes with a glare, and then smirked. He turned and walked away, the crowd parting for him.

The bell rang, saving me. I grabbed my bag and for the first and last time I ran to divintations.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I sat down in divintations hardly out of breath from the sprint. Students were filling in and the teacher, Professor Trelawney, came through the door. Ron and Harry sat down beside me, but Hermione was no where to be found.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked. I pretended to look confused. "At lunch."

"Good day," The airy voice of Trelawney saved me. Harry jumped a little. She was sickly thin and pale with very large glasses, causing her eyes to look chipmunk. "You are preoccupied, my dear, my inner eye sees past your brave face to the troubled soul within. And I regret to say that your worries are not baseless. I see difficult times ahead for you, alas… most difficult… I fear the thing you dread will indeed come to pass… and perhaps sooner than you think… dread will indeed come to pass… and more" She spoke directly to Harry and I saw Ron roll his eye.

"Can you believe her?" A voice whispered in my ear. I turned and saw Seamus sitting behind me.

"I know," I whispered back. "Harry just got his fortune read and it didn't even cost him a sickle. That's favoritism." Both Ron and Seamus snickered.

"My dears," Continued Trelawney, either not hearing or ignoring Seamus and Ron. "It is time for us to consider the stars. The movements of planets and the mysterious protents they reveal only to thise who understand the steps of the celestial dance. Human destiny may be deciphered by the planetary rays, which intermingle…." I could already tell this class was boring and meaningless.

My thoughts drifted to Austin and Fred. The entire school is probably talking about it. What happened? Do I even know? I know that Austin was bothering me about the library and Fred stood up for me. Literally. I hope no one made it out to be something else. Fred was being a great friend and Austin was being an annoying pain in the butt. An annoying pain in the butt who might be the key to unlocking my memories. I rolled my eyes. Should I bring anything when I go to the library? Yes I'll bring my wand (just in case. His magic isn't any higher than mine). Should I bring the bow or will it reveal too much?

I had gotten up early that morning in the tent to search for it. Upon finding it, I also found a button to minimize it. It was currently wedged in a corner of my trunk, tangled in many items of clothing. I had gone shopping with Ginny on the fourth day at the Weasleys home. I have to say she has a pretty good fashion sense.

"Harry!" Ron hissed next to me. Making both me and Harry snap out of our daydreams.

"What?" Harry answered. The entire room was looking at him.

"I was saying, my dear, that you were clearly born under the baleful influence of Saturn," Trelawney, for I have decided she doesn't deserve the title of Professor, continued.

"Born under - what sorry?" Harry said.

"Saturn, dear, the planet Saturn!" Trewlaney sounded peeved. "I was saying that Saturn was surely in a position of power in the heavens at the moment of your birth…. your dark hair… your mean stature…. tragic losses so young in life… I think I am right in saying, my sear, that you were born in midwinter?"

"No, I was born in July." Harry said bluntly. Ron, Seamus and I suddenly had fits of hacking coughs.

A half hour later we were given impossible star charts that we were expected to complete by the end of class.

"I've got two Neptunes here," Harry finally said. "That can't be right, can it?"

"Aaaah," Ron said before I could help. "When two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses is being born, Harry…" Sean and Dean behind us snickered loudly.

"No." I said, surprising myself. My hands had finished the assignment almost like they knew the answer. "Neptune is in May. So Saturn goes there, and that's Jupiter…" I trailed off, fixing Harry's chart. "Like that."

"Wow, cool. When did you become an expert?" Dean asked. "Can you do mine?"

"Oh! Professor, look! I think I've got an inspected planet! Oooooh! What's that one, Professor?" Lavender squealed excitedly.

"It is Uranus, my dear," Professor Trelawney said, smiling.

"Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?" Ron said. The hacking cough suddenly made a must've been contagious because half the room had it. Odd.

"A detailed analysis of the way the planetary movements in the coming month will affect you with reference to your personal chart. I want it ready to hand in next Monday, and no excuses." Trelawney snapped at us. I think she heard Ron.

"Miserable old bat," Ron said as we descended the stairs after class.

"Lots of homework?" Hermione asked, falling into step beside us. "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!"

"Well, bully for Professor Vector," Ron grumbled.

"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!" Oh no.

"What?" Ron snapped.

"You're dad's in the paper, Weasley! Listen to this." We turned to face Malfoy as he read.

"Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity isn't it?" He asked, halfway through the article. I moved closer to Ron, ready to hold him back if he were to spring at Malfoy. "And there's a picture, Weasley!" Malfoy said, holding up the picture. "A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?" At this point we were attracting a crowd. I saw Lex looking mildly disappointed. She was standing ten feet away from Malfoy and her gaze could've frozen fire. I turned and saw Fred and George pushing there way through the crowd to stand beside me.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy. C'mon, Ron…."

"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?" Malfoy sneered, as if staying with a friend for the summer was a sin.

"Yeah, Malfoy. You wouldn't know what staying with a friend is like, considering you have none." I snapped. Ron was now trying not to leap at Malfoy. I grabbed his robe to stop him. Malfoy went red.

"You stayed too, didn't you. You were that girl that was found under the dark mark? You stayed with the Weasleys cause everyone else wanted you in Askaban. Although I don't see how there's much difference." My face heated up, and I could've flown at him if Fred and George hadn't held me back. "So, tell me, is the mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?" Fred and George remained calm, although their eyes blazed. Ron on the other hand was putting a lot of strain on my arm.

"you know your mother, Malfoy? That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?" Harry spat the insult. I grinned and calmed down.

"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter." Malfoy yelled.

"Keep your fat mouth shut, then," Harry said. He turned his back on Malfoy. BANG! I had my wand out and pointed at Malfoy in record time. A second BANG sounded.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Moody was at the bottom of the stairs with his wand pointed at Malfoy, or rather pointed at where Malfoy used to be. For a second, I thought he'd incinerated him, and then I saw the ferret. Oh boy.

"Did he get you?" Moody asked Harry.

"No. He missed."

"LEAVE IT." Moody yelled.

"Leave - what?" Harry asked.

"Not you - him!" Moody growled, pointing to Crabbe who was about to pick up the ferret. I looked to where Lex was standing. Her expression held barely concealed horror. She took a step, but Moody held out a hand. The ferret gave a terrified squeak and started running.

"I don't think so!" Moody shouted, pointing his wand at the ferret. The ferret flew ten feet in the air and fell with a smack that made me wince. Then, the ferret bounced up and flew again.

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned. Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…"

"STOP!" My heart plummeted into my shoes as Lex stepped in front of Malfoy. Now there was no way out. This was going to get ugly. I turned to one of the first years next to me.

"Get Professor McGonagall." I ordered him. He nodded with wide eyes and sprinted away. I turned back to the scene. Lex had her want pointed at Moody and she stood between him and Malfoy, who was still a bouncing ferret. The ferret let out a squeak of pain.

"Expelliarmus!" Lex yelled. With a flick of his wand, Moody deflected.

"Is that all you got?" He taunted. Lex set her jaw. She sent curses and hexes, but Moody deflected everything and shooting his own.

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted and Moody's wand flew out of his hand and into mine. I had my wand pointed at him. Everyone backed away from me. I kept my eye trained on him and took sidesteps over to Lex. She panted lightly.

"Thanks." She nodded, keeping her eye and wand on Mad-eye.

"No prob." I said, trying not to dwell on the fact I'd just disarmed one of the most powerful auroras in history. Malfoy was still a ferret, but he had stopped bouncing. "What do we do about him." I asked.

"Wait for McGonagall." She shrugged. I glanced at the ferret for a brief moment, but that was all it took. Moody had a wand from lord knows where. He shot a spell without saying a word. Lex and I dove to opposite sides. The ground where we had previously occupied exploded, sending dust all over us. I scrambled to my feet and ran behind a column. Mad-Eye was shooting spells at Lex and she desperately dodged.

"Jelly leg jinx!" I shot out from behind the column; Moody blocked the jinx. We had the upper hand now. Lex and I shot spells so fast it was all he could do to block them. I got the feeling he was feeling more and more oppressed.

Finally, out of desperation he screamed, "Incendo!"

"Shit." I said, and dove from behind the column just at it exploded.

"Serena!" I heard Fred yell. Suddenly, I was being helped off the floor by Fred and George. They stood in front of me with their wands raised. I brushed myself off and did a quick check for any injuries. None.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" McGonagall came through the door and with one spell set everything straight. "What is going on here?" She snapped. One of the students explained the entire situation.

"Moody, we never use transfiguration on our students!" she snapped. "However, attacking a teacher can't be overlooked, either." Malfoy was now Malfoy again and he didn't look happy at all. "Lex and Serena, you will go to Dumbledore's office immediately!" I slowly put my wand away and, with as much dignity as I could muster, walked towards the door with Lex. As we passed McGonagall she whispered the password. I looked up at her and saw her eyes smiling back at us. My mouth twitched.

As soon as we were out the doors Lex started giggling. I stared at her incredulously.

"Quite the dangerous pair, eh?" She said. "We just took down one of the most powerful auroras in history." She laughed outright now. I joined her.

"So, you and Malfoy yet?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows. She shoved me lightly.

"It's never going to happen!" She denied.

"Still in denial?" She glared. I laughed.

"So I saw what happened at lunch." I winced at her choice of subject.

"And you want to know what happened?" I said.

"No. I just wanted to let you know that the whole school thinks its a love triangle." She said. I groaned.

"Great, just what I need." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, and it's only the first day of classes." She added. I glared at her and she put her hands up in mock surrender.

"So not helping." I told her. "I wonder if Moody will teach us differently in class."

"Probably get his vengeance. He will show the class all the worst spells with us to demonstrate." I made a face.

"Great. Just peachy. First day and I'm in a love triangle plus the angriest teacher hates my guts. On top of all that I have double potions tomorrow."

"Potions isn't that bad." Lex said, shrugging.

"For a Slytherin." I said. This is what I loved about our friendship. Instead of taking offense or snapping like any other Slytherin would've done, she just laughed.

"Yeah, I heard Snape ain't to fond of y'all." She leaked an accent before covering it up saying, "Snape really isn't that bad of a teacher. He just doesn't like Gryffindors."

"Where are you from?" I asked.

"California. You?" She was lying. I didn't know how I knew, but I did.

"Florida." I lied. Why would she lie about something as simple as where she was from? We reached Dumbledore's office.

"Sour Lizards" I said and the gargoyles moved to reveal a staircase. We went up to Dumbledore's office. I took a breath and walked through.

"Aah Lex and Serena." Dumbledore peered at us from over his half moon spectacles. He sat in front of the window at his desk. I hid a smile. "I trust your finding Hogwarts to your liking?"

"Yes, sir. Everything is quite nice." Lex answered for both of us.

"Yet here you are in trouble?" Dumbledore said it like a question, waiting for an explanation.

"We had a bit of a run in." Lex said, obviously embarrassed.

"Regarding Mad-Eye" I finished for her.

"Yes, I know all about that." Dumbledore said.

"Wha-how?" I asked, shocked.

"There are rarely things that go on in this school that I am not aware of." was his answer. "Tell me this, are you sorry for doing what you did?"

"No." Lex answered with her chin high. "I am not sorry. What he was doing was wrong and I am not sorry I stood up for Malfoy so if you are going to expel us, just get it over with."

"I am not going to expel you." I let out a relieved breath. "However. You're actions are entitled to some form of punishment. I will let you choose the punishment."

"Library." I said so fast that he had barely finished speaking.

"You didn't let me give you the choices, yet. Your choices are: Library, detention with Snape, or your punishment can be to help me."

"How so?" I asked and he shook his head.

"You must first give me your answer before I tell you." He said mysteriously. I didn't even need to think.

"Help you." I answered. He turned to Lex

"Help you." She agreed.

"Okay, then. You will watch Mad-Eye Moody very closely and report to me everything he does. I have a bad suspicion about him, but one cannot make an unfound accusation based on an hunch. Proof is what I need. Your job is to get me proof for or against him. Got it?" We nodded. By far, coolest punishment ever. "Okay, you may go now. Not a word of this to anyone."

"Understood." Lex said as we left. "Well that went better than expected." She said as we walked into the hallway. I nodded.

"Yeah, coolest punishment ever!" I grinned. She laughed.

"We should attack teachers more often."

"Yeah, just not McGonagall." I reminded her.

"Or Snape." She added. We both shuddered and then laughed. We split our separate ways and I went into the Gryffindor common room. When the portrait swung open and I stepped through the hole I was ambushed. The common room was so full I was sure there were people from other houses there.

"That was wicked!" Someone (I think Seamus) yelled.

"What did Dumbledore do?" Lee yelled.

"Are you expelled?"

"What about lunch?"

"What the heck happened?" That was Lucy. I located her in the back corner near the stairs. She stood next to Lilly, Hermione, and Ginny. I shot them a meaningful glance, hoping they'd get the message. I tried to find Fred and George in the crowd.

"Alright! Alright! That's enough." Fred pushed his way through the crowd and he stood in front of them and me. I must've looked terrified because he gave me a reassuring smile. I gave a sarcastic smile back. "Everyone can just go back to whatever they were doing." I sighed in relief. "Pictures and interviews are tomorrow in the common room at 5:00. $5.00 every two minutes!" What? This shot some adrenaline into me. I smacked his arm.

"He's joking." I said before I could help myself. Then I thought; why shouldn't I make money off of this fiasco? "It's 6.00 every two minutes. Any question you like, I'll have a waiting list posted here tomorrow morning." Everyone filed out and soon it was just a couple people left. I sank into a chair and closed my eyes. I opened my eyes to see Fred and George hi-fiving and something that sounded like "caching" from Fred. I rolled my eyes. Boys.

"Hey! I still get my 40%!" I reminded them.

"I still think it should be 12." Fred said teasingly. I swung my leg around and kicked him lightly in the leg. "Ow!" I laughed tiredly.

"Hey, any news on the aging potion?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's going to take a week to brew and then a month to cool, so… we should start brewing in about a week." Fred calculated.

"Okay, cool. Where?" They exchanged a glance. Fred looked around at the few people that were still in the common room. He shook his head. 'Later' he mouthed. I nodded.

"Oh, hey! Hermione and Ginny carried your bag to your room for you." I grinned. They're the best.

"I'll have to remember to thank them." I said. Suddenly, I snapped my fingers. I had almost forgot. "I need your help with something. Be right back." I said to the twins. I sprinted upstairs and grabbed my 'special' box and ran back downstairs. I put it on the table and snapped the buckles. The twins stood behind me. Fred leaned over my shoulder to get a better look at the box. I was acutely aware of how close we were and I froze for a moment.

"What's in the box?" George said, breaking the moment. I opened it. It was some serious stuff. Fireworks, pranks, and every joke candy you could think of was in that box. The twins gawked at me and I smiled.

"Holy mother load…" Fred said in awe. I grinned and looked at him. Our noses were almost touching.

"Right?" I said, still grinning, but looking back down at the box. "This is where you two come in."

"What the-" Fred said in wonder as I lifted the fake bottom to reveal my masterpiece invention. I grinned evilly, holding the wand up at eye level. "What's that?"

"My own little invention." I said, still grinning.

"What's it for?" George asked, but I was looking at Fred. We exchanged evil smiles, both thinking the same thing.

"Revenge."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"You are a genius." I hid my blush by looking back down at my work and letting my hair create a curtain on the side of my head. "A wand that rebounds spells back on the caster! It's going to be a best seller!" I smiled at my work.

"It's my first-no-second invention. The first was the candy." I told them while crushing the slugs with a pestle. It was hard work but it would pay off soon enough. I grabbed the bowl and carried it to Fred's table. We were in the Room of Requirements (a.k.a Fred and George's private workshop). I knelt next to Fred and poured the powder into the cauldron. "This is a pretty neat place you got." I started up another conversation.

"Yeah. We found it during our second year." George said.

"We saw a pair of footsteps on the Mauderers Map disappear so we went to where they disappeared and we found this place." Fred said.

"Mauderers Map?" I asked, curiously.

"I keep forgetting you weren't here the last few years. Mauderers Map was a map that showed everyone in this school and everything in this school." Fred informed me.

"That's cool. Where is it now?" I asked.

"Haven't the slightest. Probably Filch's office. I'll look for it when we sneak in to get our Fanged Frisbees back." Fred said, smiling. I smiled back.

"Guys we should probably be getting back. It's almost supper." George told us. I looked down quickly and out of the corner of my eye saw Fred give George a glare. Wonder what that was all about. I stood and brushed myself off.

"Well, I'll see you guys at dinner." I said, exiting the room. It was time. I took the wand out of my pocket and grinned.

Kids were filing into the dining hall and sitting down. I located my target and smiled evilly. I jogged a few steps and then bumped into him. Hard. We both went sprawling to the ground, but I was first to regain my feet.

"Sorry." I helped Draco Malfoy off the ground and skillfully switched the wands.

"Just because of this afternoon do not make the mistake of thinking us friends." He growled at me.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I told him.

I sat down next to Hermione, Ginny, Lucy, Lilly, Fred, and George. I smiled at them and Fred looked back at Draco.

"Is it done?"

"Yup." I said, sliding the wand a little out of my robe sleeve so he could see. He grinned. We ate in silence, occasionally talking about different things. Hermione left quickly, mumbling something about the library.

"Moody! How cool is he?" Fred said. I stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. "Besides that situation." Fred added.

"Beyond cool," George added.

"Supercool," Lee sat down across from me, next to Lilly. I noticed how Lilly went slightly pink and looked at her food. I made a mental note to talk to her later. "We had him this afternoon!"

"What was it like?" Harry asked.

"Never had a lesson like it." Fred said in awe. I glared at him and he shrugged in surrender. "Well I haven't."

"he knows, man," Lee said.

"Knows what?" Ron asked.

"Knows what it's like to be out there doing it," Lilly spoke up.

"Doing what?" Harry asked.

"Fighting the Dark Arts." George said.

"He's seen it all," Lucy said in the same awed voice Fred used.

"'Mazing," Lee added through his steak.

"We haven't got him till thursday!" Ron said, holding his schedule disappointedly.

"What was it like to fight him?" Lilly asked eagerly, ignoring Ron. A few heads turned and I got the feeling a lot of people were listening. I ducked my head and shot Lilly a glare. "Sorry," she muttered as I grabbed my bag and left the table, throwing my tray out as I left the dining hall.

"Serena! Hey! Serena, Wait!" I didn't pause, and instead walked faster with my head down. The hallway was empty and his calls echoed off the walls. Finally, he grabbed my wrist and spun me around.

"What?" I asked with more venom than I wanted. I winced. "Sorry, I'm not having a great day."

"Why are you so touchy about the Moody thing? What did Dumbledore say? You _aren't_ expelled are you?" I was silent and looked at the ground. Fred's gaze darkened. "Fine. Then how about you answer some more questions? Because so far I know nothing about you and what I did know, you lied about." I was still silent and refused to meet his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you had a brother? Who was that kid during lunch? What happened before you were found at the Quidditch stadium? How did you get separated from your brother? Why won't you look at me?" He grabbed my chin and wrenched my face upward so I was forced to look at him.

"I don't remember!" I yelled, and grabbed his hand. Before I knew what had happened he was on his back, groaning, on the floor. "Oh my gosh, Fred! I'm so sorry!" I offered my hand and he took it.

"What do you mean 'you don't remember'?" Fred asked. I was in deep crap now. All my senses were screaming to lie. I made the mistake of looking into his eyes. Blue locked on brown and I knew I couldn't lie to him. I glanced around the empty hallway.

"Can I trust you?" I asked. You've only known him for a week! A voice in my head screamed at me.

"Have I ever turned you in before?" Fred asked. "Nice to know you have complete confidence-"

"Fred, this is serious!" I snapped and took a calming breath. "I'm sorry, but this is really serious. You can't tell anyone. Ever. You have to swear."

"Fine. I, Fred Weasley, solemnly swear never to tell the unknown secret which I am about to hear." A small, short giggle escaped my mouth at his oath.

"I woke up on the charred grass and then Amos attacked me. That's the first thing I remember." I said. His mouth dropped open.

"W-what?"

"You heard me." I said. "In my left hand I had a wand and in my pocket I had my acceptance letter to Hogwarts." I didn't feel the need to tell him about my bow; it would just freak him out.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" He asked.

"I didn't think it was that important." I shrugged.

"Not important!" He exclaimed loudly, and then, glancing around, he lowered his voice, "How is not remembering anything not important?"

"I don't know! Okay? But you swore you wouldn't tell." He sighed defeatedly.

"Have you tried writing it down?" His question genuinely surprised me.

"No, why?"

"You don't remember anything? Because even if it was a sliver of a memory or a dream or something you should write it down. Keep a journal or something." He said.

"You just want me to keep a journal so you can steal it and look at it." I told him. However, that got me thinking it wasn't that bad of an idea.

"So? It's still a good idea." I giggled.

"Yea, I'll think about it."

"Here, meet me in the common room at 2 in the morning and I'll bring a notepad. Since I'm assuming you don't have one." I hit him in the arm.

"Thanks, Fred." I nodded. I wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

Suddenly, there was a scream from the other room. Our eyes met and my mouth formed an 'o'.

"Draco." I whispered. I had forgotten. Fred grinned and grabbed my hand and sprinted down the hallway. My legs started working halfway down the hallway and I ran beside Fred. We reached the back of a crowd of kids all gathered around what I assumed to be Draco. We pushed our way to the front of the crowd. He got there before I did and pulled me through the crowd. Draco was on the ground with Harry, Ron, George, Lee, Lilly, Ginny, and Lucy all gathered around him. It looked like Draco was going to throw up, but instead of vomit, a slug came out of his mouth. I made a face.

"What happened?" I asked, turning to George.

"I don't know. He tried to hex Harry and his wand just rebounded the spell onto him." George said, looking miffed, but his eyes twinkled. He knew, I reminded myself.

"Can I see the wand?" I asked. "Maybe I can I denitrify it's falseness." I glanced at Fred. He smirked at me. It was then I realized I was still holding his hand. I snatched mine back, causing him to smirk even wider. I turned so he couldn't see my attempts to suppress a blush. I was handed the wand. I pretended to search in my robes for my wand while skillfully switching wands.

Here it is!" I said. I did a spell to make the wand glow a bright blue for a moment. "Nope, it's not hexed or anything." I handed the wand back and shrugged. Lex came up behind me.

"Crabbe, Goyle take him to the Madame Pomphrey." She spoke, causing me to jump. Crabbe and Goyle immediately obeyed and off went Draco. "I suggest everyone go back to what they were doing. Move along." She spoke with such authority, McGonagall would've been proud. Soon, she was alone with Harry, George, Lee, Lucy, Lilly, Ron, and Fred (Ginny had excused herself). Harry, Ron, Lucy, and Lilly all gave Lex glares, automatically hating the Slytherin.

"Oh, stuff it." Lex said to them, rolling her eyes, Then, she turned to me. "Really?"

"What?" I asked, eyes wide with innocents.

"You couldn't just leave well enough alone?" She asked, tiredly.

"Well enough…" I started, outraged. I took a calming breath, balling my fists. "Consider it a friendly reminder that Draco and I aren't friends no matter what you do."

"What do you have against him? He never did anything to you!" She snapped at me. In the two days I 'd known Lex, she'd never snapped, and I didn't pin her as that type of person.

"Listen up, Buddy!" I lost my cool. "You chose to be in Slytherin! I-"

"So that's why your pranking Draco? Out of spite?"

"No." I said, surprised.

"Yeah, I chose to be in Slytherin," She continued, ignoring me. "Maybe I like it there! Ever think of that?"

"Yeah, and maybe hedgehogs will fly outside my window tonight." I yelled, angered at her baldfaced lie.

"When will you grow up?" She yelled.

"When you stop lying! You act like you know me-"

"I do know you!" She said, my eyes snapped to her face, hoping for answers. She looked regretful like she wanted to take the words back. "For two days." she added, meekly, looking at her toes.

I scoffed and shook my head then turned on my heel and stormed out of the dining hall.

I slammed the door of my dorm closed with such a bang that if I hadn't been so mad I would've jumped. I fell onto my bed and screamed into my pillow. Everything just seemed to catch up to men in that moment. I had no parents, no friends that I'd known longer than a week. I don't know how long I stayed like that, but I know I screamed till my throat was sore.

"Are you finished?" My head snapped up to see Lucy standing in front of the closed door.

"Go away." I said.

"This is my dorm too." Lucy gently reminded me. I sighed in defeat and sat up, wincing at my raw throat. Lucy threw something at me and without thinking I caught it with one hand. I looked at the object: a bottle of water. I took a drink from it and sighed contentedly.

"Thanks." I said.

"No problem. So are you going to tell me what all this is about?" I shook my head.

"No." I said. She shrugged, unfazed by my bluntness.

"I know what you're problem is." She said, coming over and sitting on her bed.

"You do?" My head snapped up.

"You've been spending to much time with the guys. You need a girl talk." I couldn't help but grin.

"I don't think that'll help." I said and she sat down on her bed.

"I dunno, I'm pretty good at girl talks. Not to toot my own horn or anything." I laughed softly; my throat still hurt.

"Okay, go for it." I said.

"No doubt the boys caught you up on the last couple of years at Hogwarts. They've been… different." I nodded.

"You were there." I reminded her.

"That's all they said?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah." My voice cracked and I drank some more from the water bottle.

"Wow, so they haven't said much. Well, here goes then. The first year, professor Quirrel, the DADA teacher, was evil. He wore a turban and behind that it's said that,"

she dropped her voice so I had to lean to hear, "Voldemort was hidden there. Year two, Ginny got kidnapped." That would explain Fred's reaction. "The DADA teacher was a bloody fraud who couldn't help. Harry and Ron found her in time, luckily. The third year, my favorite teacher, Professor Remus Lupin was a werewolf. There was a big thing with time travel. That's all that Hermione would tell me. You have to ask her the rest."

"That's it?"

"No. Here's the fun part." She told me, grinning. "The first year, Harry was new to this school, so I'll tell you about our group. George and Lilly had a thing."

"WHAT?" I whisper yelled.

"I'm not kidding! They did! Of course everyone else thought it was the grossest thing…" She trailed off, wrinkling her nose. "Anyway, yeah. Angelina had the biggest crush on Fred Weasley, but he didn't like her. I dated Michael." I made a gagging noise and she hit me on the arm. "Briefly. The second year is when Seth started to be a player."

"That would explain the train ride." I said.

"Why? What happened?" She asked curiously.

"He flirted with me." I told her, shrugging.

"Oh, yea. He does that a lot. Fred and Angelina dated." I stiffened for a moment, but then moved on. It was two years ago. But what if he still likes her, that annoying voice inside my head worried. Do I like him like that? It's only been a week for heaven's sake!

"I don't think he still likes her." Lucy told me, giving me a knowing smile. "So, do you like him?"

"I've only known him for a week!" I protested.

"A week is all it took me-" She cut herself off so I finished for her.

"To fall in love with George Weasley." She looked at me with wide eyes.

"How did you know?" I grinned.

"I have an eye for the stuff. Oh, speaking of which, what about Lilly and Lee?" I asked, she laughed.

"I know right! She has the biggest crush on him." I gagged. How could anyone like Lee? Just then the door opened and in walked Hermione.

"Hey, guys. What're you doing here? It's only 8:30!" Hermione said, surprised.

"Oh, y'know. Serena needed cheering up." Hermione nodded.

"What were you guys talking about?" She asked.

"Oh, y'know. You and Ron." I said, laughing as her eyes widened and she threw a pillow at my head. I deftly caught it, laughing.

"I would never-why would you-I don't-ugh!" Hermione stuttered, her face going red. Lucy and I laughed harder. She threw another pillow at us and the pillow fight began.

That was how, a half hour later, Lilly and Ginny walked in to find us sitting in a heap of downy feathers and pillows strewn everywhere. Lucy opened her mouth, but Lilly held a hand up.

"Don't tell me, I don't want to know. One thing. Is my pillows okay?" Lucy reached over to take her pillow from the ground. It had miraculously survived. Lilly took it and placed it neatly on her feather strewn bed.

"Lights out in 30 minutes so you can all take ten minute showers." Ginny said, going over to her bed to read. "Go." She told us. Lucy and Hermione raced to the bathroom and I frowned.

"What's the rush?" I asked Ginny.

"The hot water usually fails halfway through the second shower." I scrambled after them


	12. Chapter 11

I wore a black skintight long sleeved t-shirt with black sweatpants. My bare feet had gone numb two staircases ago and I really wished I'd remembered shoes. In some ways being barefoot was better. It allowed me to move stealthily through the halls. There was no denying I was nervous. My eyes kept darting from side to side, searching for any sign of movement. White knuckles clutched a black bow. My right hand held a wand with a faintly lit tip. I crept towards the library doors, safely away from the windows. The door was locked. Taking a bobby pin from my hair, I tried to pick the lock. No luck. Then, as if my hand moved without command, I expertly picked the lock. It was only after the door swung open did I realize Alohamora would've been more appropriate. I rolled my eyes in the dark at my own stupidity. After studying the room in the dim light from my wand, I decided to crouch beside the door. I extinguished my wand with a flick of my wrist and hid it in my sleeve.

My body was frozen and from an outside eye I probably would've been invisible. When the grandfather clock struck twelve I tensed slightly, waiting for the boy to walk through the door. No one came in. I waited.

"What are we waiting for?" A voice whispered in my ear. I reacted by whipping around and swinging the bow towards his face. If the bow had hit him in the face, I imagine I would've instantly felt sorry and the threatened instinct would've vanished. However, as it happened a hand caught my bow mid swing and the threatened instinct tripled. I became another, unfamiliar person as I attacked him.

My mind took a millisecond to register he caught my bow and in the next millisecond my fist was flying at his face. He caught my fist in his other hand. I stomped on his foot and heard him swear softly. In the seconds pause I kicked him in the stomach and he flew backwards onto the floor. I grabbed at my back, my bow raised only to come to my senses. All these events had taken the course of 30 seconds.

"Sorry." I whispered, helping him up.

"Lucky shot." He grumbled. "Amazing. Even after loosing your memory, you can still beat me. Although, in my defense, I really wasn't prepared. Then again, you never did take lightly to people sneaking up on you."

"You knew me before I lost my memory." I stated. "Start with this." I set the bow down on the table next to us. He lit the end of his wand.

"Your bow." He said. "I would've thought you'd lost it in the ride over."

"My bow." I whispered. All hope I had about the bow belonging to someone else evaporated.

"Did it come with the quiver?" He asked, lighting an oil lamp.

"Yes." I said, glaring at him.

"So they didn't exile you. Interesting. I'm assuming that your mom did that, then again-"

"What? I was exiled?" I panicked. What had I done?

"No. It was supposed to be a mission."

"Mission? Like a secret agent?" I asked. Was I a secret agent?

"No." He said shortly. "When you woke up did you have anything at all? No memories? Nothing?"

"No. A guy tried to attack me and I had him on the ground in five seconds." I said. Austin chuckled lightly.

"Yup. Same Serena. I don't suppose you've tried to shoot the bow?" He asked. "See what you could hit?"

"No," I said cautiously.

"Because you couldn't find the time. Did you really stay with the Weasleys?"

"Yes." I said, defensively. "Aren't I supposed to be asking and you answering?"

"How about dreams? Have you had any dreams?" He asked, ignoring me. I pressed my lips together and raised an eyebrow. He sighed, "Fair enough. What is your question?"

"Why do I have these reflexes?" I asked. "How do I stop them?"

"You can't stop them. And you have them cause you were trained since three." He told me. Instead of satisfying me, the answer raised more questions.

"Trained by who? What about Birch? Is he my brother?"

"Trained by the best of course. Your mom. Birch is your brother, and what about him do you want to know?" Austin wrinkled his nose. "I've always found him to be a bit dull. Even with his powers."

"Powers? What? Do I have powers? My mom is the best of what? Does Birch have the same reflexes I do?" For every answer two questions seemed to sprout.

"Your powers were taken along with your memory and your- well- we'll get into that later. Your mom was the best-it's hard to explain, but she was the best… agent, let's say. Birch probably doesn't have the same reflexes you do. He wasn't trained the same." My head spun with questions.

"Wha-What is going on?" Was all I could get out. Austin stepped closer to me so our faces were centimeters apart. He pressed his hand onto my cheek.

"Listen, Sir-" Sir.

_I stood in a grassy forest. I looked down at myself and realized I was glowing. What was going on? I heard giggling and turned to see a small girl around eight or nine come into view. She was running surprisingly fast for a girl of her age. She was looking backward and giggling. Her black curls bouncing in time to her feet. It was when she looked at me that I gasped. She had electric blue eyes. My eyes. I stared at her attire. She wore a flouncy golden dress that ended at her ankles. In her hair she wore a golden headband to put order to her messy curls. She was barefoot, which made me smile. Maybe I never liked shoes._

_ A boy with golden blonde hair emerged from the bushes, running after her. Austin. His soft, brown eyes gave it away. Even then he was tan. He was dressed all in black and looked a little like a miniature bandit, with a bandanna around his messy blonde hair. He wore tight black pants and a sort of tunic shirt and no shoes. He resembled a mini robin hood. Anyway, the pair of them looked like they'd just stepped out of a fairytale._

_ "Hey! Wait up, Serena!" The boy panted, almost tripping on a root._

_ "Come on, slowpoke!" I followed them. The girl stopped at a big, half deteriorated stone wall. She touched the cold brick with a wide grin and a giggle._

_ "I win again!" She announced with childish delight._

_ "I'm gonna win one day!" The boy came up behind her, not running. She stuck out her tongue._

_ "Yea right." She told him with a dismissive flick of her wrist._

_ "No really. Then you'll be the one asking for a rematch."_

_ "You're just a sore looser." Then her face lit up. "So you want a rematch?" The grinning boy opened his mouth to reply but never got the chance. The sound of horses clomping through the forest stopped them. A look of fear crossed the girls face. The boy grabbed her and shoved her into some bushes._

_ "Hide. Don't come out no matter what happens." He whispered, and then turned to face the horses._

_ "Austin." The horse stopped in front of him and the rider bent down. "What are you doing out here?"_

_ "I was just checking the snares."_

_ "Wheres Michael?" The rider snapped._

_ "Must've gotten lost again. I'll find him."_

_ "See to it that you do. There'll be a raid on Marksland tonight. I expect you to be there. They'll pay for what they've done to us." The rider had an unnerving gleam in his eye. He was a burly fellow with dark eyes and hair._

_ "Go now. Michael is needed in the kitchen. The blind fool!" The man said and turned his horse. The horses cantered off. Austin sighed and looked toward the bush._

_ "They're gone." He whispered._

_ "You shouldn't let him boss you around like that." The little girl looked at him with concern._

_ "I don't have much choice, do I? I'm nine."_

_ "So am I, but I sometimes stand up to my mom when I think what she's asking me to do is wrong."_

_ "Not in public." He said. Her face puckered into a frown._

_ "No. Never in public, but in private all the time."_

_ "But your mother doesn't abuse you." He said, looking after his father. My heart cried for him, but I kept my face stoic._

_ "Here's what you do: talk to him in private, then if he tries to abuse you, threaten to run away. If he continues, run away._

_ "Yes, Sir!" The boy mock saluted. "Hey, get it? Serena. Ser. Sir? I think that's what I'll call you from now on."_

_ "Don't you dare! But seriously, I'll let you share my room in the castle."_

_ "And tell your mom what?" He asked, and then shook his head. "It's okay. This is my obstacle to face. Alone."_

_ I was surprised at how intelligent they were. I mean, I figured kids were smart, but they were talking very well for nine year olds. Then again, it is me I'm talking about. Who knows what I was doing when I was nine?_

_ "Come on. It's getting dark." The younger me said, and started off into the woods. Austin squinted in my direction, seeming to look right at me._

_ "They say I'm insane. Well, my dad does. Are you real? Or just a hallucination?" The boy asked, stumbling over the word hallucination._

_ "I'm real." I chose to speak. I nodded at the direction mini me had taken. "Could she see me?" I asked._

_ "I don't think so." He replied._

_ "Take care of her." I told him, and the scene started fading._

I opened my eyes and sat up to see Austin sitting next to me.

"You saw something. My apologies. I'm still having a tough time controlling this." Austin said.

"Yeah. I saw you and me. As kids. Except we were in a really weird place. Kind of like a fairytale." He nodded.

"That's our homeland." He said.

"Is that your power? Giving people visions of the past?" I asked. He nodded.

"Some of the power. I think my real power is time." He said. "I don't really know. I'm still having a tough time controlling it."

"Give me another vision." I said, suddenly eager to see more of my past. He chuckled.

"Tell you what, same time next week. And I'll give you another one. Too many at once has negative effects." He told me. I nodded.

"Sounds like a plan." I said. Suddenly the old grandfather clock struck one. Wow, I was out for a long time! I have an hour before Fred and I are supposed to meet.

"See you next week." He said, blowing out the oil lamp and disappearing in the darkness.

"Wait!" I hissed after him. "What was my power?" But he was already gone. I sighed and made my way back up to my dorm. Time for my 45 minute nap. I closed my eyes, thankful for even that.

I woke to the clock reading 2:05. Shoot. I scrambled out of bed, still in my long pajama pants and shirt. I rushed downstairs. Fred was lounging on the couch, writing on a notepad.

"Hey," I whispered, taking a seat next to him.

"Hey," He said, flipping to a blank page quickly.

"What were you doing?" I asked.

"A new idea for a candy." He said.

"What is it?" I hid a yawn.

"A candy that makes you glow different colors." He said, grinning. I glared at him and shoulder bumped him.

"Sounds familiar." I said.

"Wonder where." He laughed.

"Down to business." I said, thinking.

"'Kay. Do you remember anything at all? Anything you where left with? Nothing?" He asked.

"I had a dream. Not sure if it means anything. I dreamt about Birch." I said, glancing away. How much should I confide in him?

"Birch? Your brother? Have you talked to him at all?" I shook my head.

"I don't have any classes with him." I told Fred.

"Are you sure you aren't scared?" I looked at him in surprise. Was I scared?

"Of course not." I said. "What is there to be scared of?"

"The truth." He set the notepad on the table. "Listen, I've heard about spells that counteract memory loss." I brightened.

"Really?" I asked, hopefully. He nodded, thoughtfully.

"And potions. There are only a couple, maybe two potions and one spell."

"Can we try them?" I asked, enthusiastically.

"Yea, but we have to do it at night unless you want to tell George." He let the sentence hang.

"No, I told you, no one else." He nodded.

"Okay, now that that's taken care of, George and I are working on something." My mind screamed to proceed with caution.

"What sort of something?" I couldn't help being eager. My mind burned with curiosity. He laughed. He looked both ways, like someone was hiding, waiting to steel his idea. Then, he leaned toward me and whispered in my ear.

"An metamorphagus potion."


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"A metamorphagus potion." Just hearing the words sent a cold shoot of excitement up my spine. My attention snapped back to professor McGonnagal, who was lecturing us about metamorphaguses. I allowed myself a small smile before mastering my expression. I went back to my absent minded doodling. In the past two days I had realized I could draw without thinking about it. My hand would just move and draw anything that came to my mind. I don't think the drawings were half bad. A lot had happened in the past two days, actually. I had started a reminder list inside that notebook Fred had given me. In the notebook I had a list of people who I was avoiding. List of two: Austin Reed and Seth Riche. I saw them around sometimes, but did my best to avoid contact. On the other hand, my list of people I needed to talk to with great urgency was growing. That list included (ironically) Austin Reed (how he managed to make both is beyond me), Birch Coldblood, and Lex Allgood.

I hung out with Fred and George more than ever (if that's possible). Just thinking about the pair brings a small smile to my face. For any ordinary girl, I had a dream life at Hogwarts, but I was starting to realize more and more that I was no ordinary girl. The ringing of the bell snapped me into the present. I stuffed my books hurriedly into my messenger bag and slung the bag over my shoulder. I sprinted down the hall to lunch. The table was empty when I got there, well, empty except for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. My foot tapped on the ground nervously. I couldn't help but be apprehensive for Mad-Eye's class.

"Hey," I jumped then swatted at him without looking.

"Don't scare me like that, Fred." There was no reply. I looked up from glaring at my mashed potatoes to find Austin sitting next to me. He let out a dark chuckle while I glared. He sat with his back leaned on the table and his feet in the aisle. "Oh, it's you. What do you want, Reed?"

"So, how's Hogwarts treating you so far?" He asked, ignoring my less than friendly greeting.

"Well enough. How are you enjoying Hufflepuff?" I asked with a slight smirk at the name Hufflepuff. I could feel his glare, but didn't bother turning. I started drinking my water, attempting to look unconcerned.

"It's okay. The people there aren't as…" He made a fat gesture to his stomach that caused me to nearly choke on my water. He pounded me on the back harder than necessary .

"Thanks." I said sardonically.

"Anytime." He answered, either missing the sarcasm or ignoring it.

"And don't make fun of Hufflepuffs! You're in their house for crying out loud." I said. He looked at me incredulously.

"Oh, I get it. It's only okay when you do it." He said sarcastically. I hit him in the arm, and spun around to sit like he sat, with my back to the table.

"So, what's so interesting about the dining room that you can't sit normally?" He looked at the Hufflepuff table.

"See that girl by the line to get your food?" I looked at the line.

"There are many girls getting their food."

"The really pretty one." He supplied. I gave him the 'thanks for the help' look. "She's getting her silverware now. Just got her fork." I looked at the silverware table and stifled a gasp.

"Lilly?" I asked.

"The one with reddish orange hair and freckles. She has gorgeous eyes."

"Oooh. Lucy." I said, nodding.

"So that's her name?" He asked. "Lucy. Is she available." I nearly choked a second time. Again, Austin pounded me on the back.

"Stop doing that!" I snapped.

"Can't have you choking before you tell me if she's available."

"Oh, but afterword I can choke all I want?" I said, rolling my eyes. He shrugged.

"Is she?" I looked at him. Then at Lucy. They would make a cute couple.

"Yea. She is." I glanced at George, who was just getting his food with Fred and Lee. They were heading over. He caught my eye and I looked at him apologetically before turning my attention back to Austin.

"Best news I've had all day." He said.

"Wow. You must be having a crappy day."

"Double potions."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, what does Snape have against me? Other than the fact that I called him a rotten old toad." I laughed.

"You did what?" I gasped between laughs. He grinned.

"Unfortunately, Snape didn't think it was funny. Now I have detention every day for the rest of the month."

"Wow, Snape must be having a bad day too." Austin shrugged.

"He wanted the Dark Arts job." I turned my head to look at Fred, who had taken a seat across from my turned back.

"Oh." I said. That made sense.

"So, see you later… wingman." My head snapped up to meet his gaze.

"What?" He started walking away. "I never agreed to that!" I called after him, rolling my eyes. "Pig." I muttered. He leaned on the table right beside me and grabbed my cookie.

"I heard that." He whispered before leaving.

"You owe me a cookie!" I said indignantly, rolling my eyes again.

"What was that about?" Fred asked when I spun around to face them.

"He wanted to make me his wingman." I said. Fred laughed.

"Isn't that a man's job?" I laughed and shrugged.

"Yeah, but the girls a Gryffindor, and I hang out with her." I shrugged.

"Oh, really, who?" George asked.

"Lucy." I said. George's face darkened.

"What?" Fred said disbelievingly, glancing at George. "Are you sure?"

"Sure of what?" Lucy asked, setting her tray beside mine.

"Sure that pineapples are better than grapes. Which they _are_." I lied easily, glaring at Fred. Fred shook his head, hiding a smile.

"Are you kidding? There isn't even a challenge. Pineapples are way better." She said, grinning.

"No, they're really not." George spoke up. Lucy looked at him with surprise.

"I thought you hated grapes." She said. He shrugged and looked guilty.

"Times change."

"Yeah." She said, looking down at her food. After a bit of an awkward pause.

"Aren't raisins just demented grapes?" I asked randomly. Fred laughed.

"That's like saying George is a demented version of me." Fred caused me to laugh.

"Hey!" George said indignantly. Lucy laughed at him. "We all know who the better looking twin is, Fred."

"One of you is good looking?" Lucy joined in, causing me to burst into a fit of giggles. We high fived.

"Oh, whoo-hoo! Girl power." Fred said in a high pitched voice.

"Wow, Fred. I didn't know your voice could go that high." I said, pretending to be in pain and touching my ear.

"Do us a favor, Fred and warn us next time." Lucy told him. We laughed and Fred childishly stuck out his tongue.

A big ring resounded off the walls of the dining hall. I jumped up with a squeak, grabbing my bag.

"I'm gonna be late for Mad-Eye's class!" Lucy and George shot me identical sympathetic expressions. Fred was to busy grabbing his own bag.

"I've got McGonagal!" He said, sprinting for the door with me on his heels. I kept up with him easily.

"We're so dead!" I squealed as I stopped in front of the already closed classroom door.

"Good luck!" Fred called backward as he ran. I couldn't help letting out a small giggle as I entered the classroom.

"Ah, Serena Coldblood." He looked at me and smiled chillingly, which ended up resembling a pained grimace. "Think you can skip class, do ya?"

"No, sir."

"Think five against one aged wizard makes you an authority on magic do you?"

"Of course not, sir."

"Of course not, sir." Moody was officially scaring me. "Don't move!" I froze as I was getting into a seat beside Hermione. Hermione shot me a sympathetic glance. That's when it happened. My shoulders straightened and my hand tightened on the messenger bag. I turned around to look him right in the eye(s?). With a supreme effort, I managed not to fly at him.

"Sorry, I'm just a bit confused. Do I look at the real eye or the magical one when I'm talking?" There was a collective intake of breath from the students. Moody literally growled at me.

"Stay up here, Ms. Coldblood." He spat. "I have a special lesson planned and I will need a volunteer."

"Oh, I'm trembling with excitement." I quipped sarcastically.

"Don't forget, you have detention for the next month."

"My, oh my! Aren't you cracking the whip today?" I couldn't stop myself. Literally.

"With Snape." Moody snapped. Well, that put a damper on my day. It would've been much easier if it had been with Mad-Eye so I could keep an eye on him for Dumbledore. "So, straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms…" Curses? He was doing curses? Crap. I don't want to be his test dummy for that! Maybe I could jump out a window or something? Negative. All windows are closed. Door locked. I'm in deep - "…Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to seal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves." Dark curses. Great! Just what I needed. Not just curses. Dark curses. As in bad times a million.

"Er." I snapped back to the present as Ron spoke up. For a fleeting moment I hoped he was coming to my defense. Then I realized this is Ronald Bilious Weasley I'm talking about. Needless to say, my hope died. He is in awe of Mad-Eye. "My dad told me about one…. Is it called the Imperius Curse or something?"

"Ah, yes. Your father would know that one. Gave the ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse." I crossed my fingers and closed my eyes. "I'd like to demonstrate." Not on me. Not on me. Not on me. Not on me. I repeated the mantra in my head until the words nearly lost meaning. I opened my eyes to see a spider cartwheeling across Ron's desk. Everyone was laughing except for Mad-Eye and me. That's horrible.

"Think it's funny, do you? You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?" the laughter died. I watched the spider fly around the room as Mad-Eye talked. To be controlled by someone else. That would be horrible.

"Does anyone know one? Another illegal curse?" Again, I was snapped back to the present.

"There's one - The Cruciatus Curse." Poor boy looked terrified. Neville, I think his name is. He's the Herbology wiz.

"Your name's Longbottom?" Mad-Eye asked. Neville nodded nervously. "Engorgio." He enlarged the spider. I closed my eyes, willing myself not to look or hear. Disobeying me, my eyes opened and looked anyway. "Crucio!" The spider began to convulse and twitch horribly. After a few seconds, Mad-Eye should've let the curse die. Instead, a look of sick pleasure came over his face and he kept torturing the thing. He wasn't stopping. I walked over and tried to forcefully stop him. He grabbed my wrist and we struggled for a minute. I was just about to do something I'd definitely regret when Hermione's shrill voice spoke up.

"Stop it!" Caught by surprise, I stumbled away from Mad-Eye when he shoved me. I ended up near Neville's desk. He was bone white and had a horrified look in his wide eyes. I met his eyes and gave him the 'it's all going to be okay' look. I looked back at Mad-Eye with a certain hatred. He had the third spider out. "Avada Kedavra!" The spider rolled over, dead in a flash of green light. This time, I did look away. I couldn't do it. Couldn't watch that monster kill. Something itched in the back of my mind. But it couldn't quite-

_Once more, I looked down on myself as a glowing, yellow ghost. This time, though, instead of a forest, I stood in a room. The room was big and ornate with portraits of a family on the wall. I recognized myself in a ten year old body. A fireplace was lit at the far wall and chairs were set up in front of it. That's when I saw myself, sitting on the floor coloring. A door opened and a man walked through. He was middle-aged, maybe forty, but his clothes were the weird thing. He wore a puffy white shirt with a belt and tight brown shiny leggings (I think). Ten year-old me bounded up to him._

_ "It's time!" She squealed and the master nodded gravely. Her smile quickly turned into a troubled frown. "What's wrong?"_

_ "This lesson is very important." He walked out the door without another word, hands clasped behind his back. She followed him, still frowning. I followed. After passing a few hallways and down a few corridors, we reached a long hallway with cages lining either side of it. "Come." He opened one of the cages and wrestled a lion from it. Instinctively, I drew back along with the girl. She pulled out a dagger from under her blue dress._

_ "No need for that. Come." He led the tiger to an open arena looking area. Their where stands all around the circular arena, for I was sure that is what it was._

_ "What do you want me to do with the lion?" She asked, surprisingly showing no signs of fear._

_ "Are you afraid of this beast." He asked her. She drew herself to her full height._

_ "Not whilst it is in chains."_

_ "And if it were to get loose?"_

_ "I believe I would still not fear it, for I am capable of defeating it with a calm head." The ten-year-old replied calmly. I was impressed with myself._

_ "And when you defeated it? Could you kill it?" The little girl hesitated a moment._

_ "Yes, if it was absolutely essential to my survival. I believe I would."_

_ "I want you to kill this beast right here." The master said. The girls eyes widened, but their was no fear._

_ "I do not wish to kill it." He nodded solomely._

_ "We will work on that."_

"Dismissed!" Moody's roar brought me back to reality. How long had I been gone? What had happened? Wha-ho-why? Who was that guy? Did he eve-

"Serena, it's time to go." A gentle hand touched my shoulder. I grabbed it on instinct and twisted to the point of pain, but not breaking. I heard a sharp cry and spun around to look at Hermione. She looked shocked and fearful. She was afraid. Of me. I let go of her wrist and stumbled back a few steps. I needed to get out of here. I grabbed my bag and sprinted out the door, pushing past Harry and Ron.

"What's with her?" I heard Ron faintly ask as I pushed past people in the hallway. I needed to get out of here. To clear my head. There was only one place to go.


	14. Chapter 13

**Sorry about not posting for a month or two but everything is hectic with the start of school. Thanks to everyone who still follows!**

Chapter 13

Fred and George weren't supposed to come by till 8:00. I had the Room make me a couch in front of a fireplace. I sat watching the fire crackle and jump. My knees were curled up to my chest, but there were no tears anymore. Time had become meaningless to me, but the 7:30 bell had rung quite a few minutes ago. The tears had stopped within the first 30 minutes I was here; now all that were left were dry tear tracks. Even the puffy eyes had eventually faded. I hope, at least, seeing as I didn't have a mirror.

In my mind I saw Hermione's face again. My friend. Her eyes were wide with pain and something deeper. Fear. She had been afraid of me. One of my best friends had been afraid of me. And what's more? I enjoyed seeing that look for a second. For a tenth of a second I relished seeing the pained, scared look she gave me. It was like there was two people inside me. And I didn't know the other one, but I kept getting flashes of her life.

"Hey," Instead of reacting, my body didn't move which was a pleasant surprise. I didn't even feel the surprise. Instead of surprise my brain calmly informed me that someone was in the room. And I knew who it was.

"Hey, Birch." I said, my voice cracking from two hours of disuse.

"You knew it was me." He didn't sound surprised.

"Obviously." I said drily. He cleared his throat and then sat down on the other side of the couch. "How did you find me?" I asked.

"My legs just started walking." He sounded confused and I nodded. To anyone else he would've sounded off his rocker, but I understood.

"You don't remember anything either?" I already knew the answer, but I felt it was necessary to break the tension.

"Nope." He popped the 'p', leaving an awkward silence behind. "Do you get dreams?" He asked me after a minute.

"Yea, I dream. Everybody does." I purposefully beat around the bush.

"You know what I mean, Sere." I snapped my head up.

"Why did you call me that?"

"Call you what?"

"Sere. Only my friends call me Sere."

"I'm your brother." I winced. He looked at me quizzically. "I am. You might as well get used to hearing it. We should work as a team trying to figure this out." "I always really preferred to work solo." I told him. Though I was 90% sure he was my brother that other 10% could possibly be fatal.

"Come on, Sere!" When we talked like this; it seemed like we were related. I sighed. I didn't want to have associations with a house outside my own, much less someone I had known but didn't know. I sighed in defeat.

"I guess your right; it just seems weird. Why take our memory away?"

"Whoever did it must've had there reasons."

"The sorting hat told me it was a bad sign that I lost my memory." I confided. Hoping I could fully trust him, and sensing that I could.

"It said the same thing to me. I think the people that did it weren't the people in charge. We weren't meant to loose our memory. You can tell me everything you remember. Then, I'll tell you. Let's go memory by memory." I nodded, to tired to argue.

"The second night I had a dream. I was in this… well, it's rather weird. It was like being in pitch dark, but pitch white." Birch sat up straight and stared at me with eyes wide with recognition. "People were… well they weren't really people, more like demons or zombies. Some more decayed then others. They all looked a bit… lost. Like they couldn't see. You were there. Weren't you?" I remembered the boy grabbing my arms and holding me protectively.

"I was. I don't know how. It was the first night that I had that dream. I ran into different people trying to follow your screams. I felt like I knew what I was doing." I nodded and he shuddered. "Let's move on."

"Agreed. Then," I thought back to what happened. Just then, the 8:00 bell rang. I jumped to my feet.

"What? What is it?"

"You need to go." I said, urgently pulling him to his feet and towards the door.

"Why?" I shoved him out the door.

"Run!" I whispered urgently and ducked back inside the Room. I closed my eyes and willed the workshop to appear before me. It did. No sooner was I done with that than the door opened and in came laughing Weasley twins.

"Hey! Were were you?" Fred asked, still laughing. "you disappeared at dinner!"

"I decided to fast." I said. "Stuff to do. So, what'd McGonagall give you?"

"Detention one month. Mad-Eye?"

"Month detention with Snape. Starts tomorrow." Fred made a face.

"Well I'll guess I'll see you tomorrow then." I gave him a 'really?' look.

"We see each other every day." I reminded him. He looked embarrassed.

"Right. Yeah. I meant more than usual." He stammered.

"Is the famous Fred Weasley stammering?" I asked, looking flabbergasted.

"No. I'm just having a hard time finding the right words." He defended, badly (I might add). I laughed and he glared at me. "Don't make me come over there." He threatened causing me to pause my laughing.

"Oh I'm shaking with fear." I sarcastically quipped, always the one to get the last word. He scowled across the room at me and I shot him an innocent smile to which he rolled his eyes.

"Come on, there's work to do." Fred chose to ignore my antics. I started toward the table and then a jet of light hit me straight in the chest. I actually flew backward and landed on the ground. My body was filled with a strange sensation and then every ticklish spot on my body started tickling. Giggles erupted from me and I knew I was rolling over on the floor laughing. "Say your sorry."

"Stop! Stop!" I gasped for breath, tears were running down my cheeks.

"Say it!" Fred insisted and I faintly heard George laughing.

"Never!" I failed at sounding resolute. Heck, I could barely talk.

"Okay then I guess George and I had better go. Wouldn't want to break curfew, would we?" Fred said even though it couldn't have been later than 8:30. I heard footsteps getting fainter.

"Wait! I'm sorry!" I conceded. The jinx wasn't lifted.

"For…?" Fred prompted.

"For… whatever-" gasp - "I did-" - gasp- "wrong." I was seriously starting to get out of breath. Wasn't it unhealthy to withstand this much laughing?

"And what did you do wrong?" Fred asked.

"Accused" - gasp, gasp - "You of" - gasp - "stammering." I was starting to get light headed when the curse subsided. I lay panting on the floor, knowing how pathetic I must look and hating it.

"Hey, are you okay?" Fred asked, finally noticing my panting. I gave him a thumbs up. He laughed. "Well, you brought that on yourself." Maybe I did. Probably. He helped me up.

"I'm fine." I told him, regaining my breath.

"Cool, but seriously there's a lot of work to be done. McGonagall went over metamorphaguses today. So I have all these new ideas to try." We joined George at the work benches. Actually, there were three tables, one for each of us and we knelt on the floor. If we got cramped, the Room would make us a chair. This place was pretty cool. "Okay," Fred continued. "I know for a fact there is flaberworm mucus. How much of it is still X." He said, jotting something down on a notepad he had taken out of his bag.

"There's definitely frog oil." I noted and Fred pointed the quill at me in acknowledgment. The door opened, making everyone jump.

"Hey, sorry I'm late guys. The hall was crowded." Lee apologized. I breathed a sigh of relief. Only Lee. "But guess what I found out?"

"This better be good." George said. Lee gave George a mock glare.

"I got Lilly to talk to McGonagall about making a potion for metamorphagus and she got three ingredients. Lilly sure has a way with words." Something flickered in his eyes but was gone so quickly I had only gotten half a read on it. Was it longing? Or lust? Or was it something deeper like Lo-

"Ow!" I snatched my hand back from the blue liquid that was now seeping through the wooden table. I cradled my burned hand with one arm, assessing the damage. The right part of my left hand was burned lightly, causing it to redden. The other half had skipped the reddening step and went straight to peeling. I hissed in pain as someone lifted it. I slightly turned my head to look at Fred's worried face.

"What'd you do? Pour it on yourself?" He asked, lightly while taking out his wand. He whispered a spell and my hand started to close up. With one final stab of pain the wound was gone. I flexed my hand cautiously.

"Thanks." I muttered.

"No problem, Sere. Can't have you loosing a hand. Can we?" I rolled my eyes.

"Gee thanks. Nice to know I'm appreciated." We laughed for a moment and then he excused himself back to his station. I watched him go with calculating eyes. There was something weird about Fred that made him stand out from everyone else. I shook my head to clear it and went back to working.

The 9:30 bell came all too soon for me and I gave a disappointed sigh. I was sure I was on to something with the spider blood. The potion had to contain insane magical qualities and it probably had to do with an animal. I bit my lip and frowned.

"Coming?" I looked up at Fred holding the door open for me. I nodded and walked out the door.

"Nope, I was planning on sleeping in the Room." I told him sarcastically. He rolled his eyes.

"Sure you were." We headed down the hallway and took a right, stepping through the tapestry.

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him. He laughed.

"One because you wouldn't have any clothes tomorrow. And two because sleeping in your Hogwarts robes is very uncomfortable." He informed me.

"You would know. Beetlejuice." I said just as we stepped through the portrait. Fred laughed.

"See ya later." I gave him a half wave, smiling. He smiled back and suddenly I felt queasy, or I think it was queasy, but it felt a little different. I turned, frowning, to walk up the stairs.


	15. Chapter 14

****Hey! I'm not sure if Serena should be a competitor in the Tournament or if she should just watch! Review what you think! This is super important! Thanks to all my fans!****

Chapter 14

I woke up early the following morning. Something nagged at the back of my mind, refusing to allow me to return to my sleep. Groaning, I got dressed and brushed my teeth and hair quietly (or as quietly as I could though it didn't matter because Lily could sleep through anything). What was that thing yesterday? It was probably just late, and I was tired. I was shaking my head to clear it when it happened. My whole body locked into position halfway down the last set of stairs to the common room. The rest of my senses took a second to catch up, but then I heard it. Breathing. Someone else was in the common room. I shook my head again. Why should I care? Still, though, at this hour? I crept down the last bit of stairs until I heard whispering.

My ears strained to catch bits of what he or she was saying. The voice belonged to Harry and he was whispering something about head and hurt. "I reckoned I just imagined my scar hurting…" The voice faded a little and I couldn't make out some of it, "coming…here…worry….head….normal." The whispering ceased. A chair scraping against the ground. Footsteps. The portrait swinging open. Silence. I counted to ten before slipping into the common room and crossing to the portrait. I counted to ten again before cracking open the portrait and exiting into the cold hallway.

I followed a very oblivious Harry all the way up through the hallways and up to the Owlery. He walked to the far corner and started stroking Hedwig. I stayed in the shadows just outside, afraid that the light would reveal me. I managed to peek in to see if Harry was watching the door. Instead he seemed to be in a heated argument with Hedwig. I smiled to myself and slipped inside the Owlery.

"Just find him, all right? Before the Dementors do?" WHAT? What Dementors? Hedwig flew out the window.

"What was that about?" Harry jumped and spun around so fast it almost gave me whiplash.

"Ser-Serena. H-H-Hi. H-How long have you been s-standing there?" He stuttered. I cocked my head to the side, surveying him.

"Who's the letter for?" He seemed to visibly relax.

"You don't know." He sighed even though I clearly could hear him. He looked as if he wanted to kick himself after that. I smiled indulgently.

"No, I know." Harry's shoulders stiffened instantly and his eyes snapped to my face, studying me. "I know that your writing to someone and don't want anyone to know about it. I know that you wrote about your scar hurting. I know that Ron and Hermione are in on it. What I don't know is who you have been sending letters to." Okay, so I was taking a leap with the whole Ron and Hermione being on board. I must've been pretty intimidating because Harry looked as if he didn't know whether to be terrified or furious.

"I'm not telling you." He crossed his arms over his chest and I narrowed my eyes. I took a threatening step forward.

"Excuse me?"

"You can't make me." He had the audacity to look me straight in the eye as he spoke the magic words. My back went ramrod straight.

"What if my mouth accidentally slips." I gave him a wry smile and then fake gasped. "What if Snape is nearby?" Harry's eyes went blank for a second and then there was so much fury in them I involuntarily took a step back. One second we were standing a few feet apart and the next Harry had me up against the wall, gripping my shirt.

"Don't you even _dare_, you little wretch. Don't you dare tell Snape about any of this. What about you?! Do you even remember your past because, honestly, you don't even act like you remember your own _brother_."

"Shut up!" I hissed at him. "You don't know anything!"

"And you do?" He half yelled.

"I know a lot of things." I whispered, looking down at the floor.

"So do I, and I've been around liars long enough to know what one looks like." He still had that furious glint in his eye, but his eyes were distant and haunted like he was remembering some distant memory.

"Harry…" A part of me wanted to hug him and the other part of me wanted to take advantage of his momentary weakness and slam _him_ into the wall. In my defense, it hurts more than you'd think! Anyway, the result was a hand reached halfway to his face when he focused back on my face. He opened his mouth, but before he could say something someone cleared their throat. Harry jumped backward and I tried to, but ended up slamming my head into the wall. I looked up towards Fred's furious face in confusion. He stood in the early light with his hands balled into fists and his shoulders tense.

"Fred?" I half asked half stated. He stormed toward us and practically dragged Harry out of the room, leaving me to stand there alone wondering what just happened. I shook my head to clear it and then walked out the door, down the hall, and entered the mess hall.

"We've got loads of stuff to work on today-" George started as I sat down with my food.

"I think I'm going to skip today, George. I'm not feeling all that hot." Fred was no where to be seen, and I couldn't help but wonder what had happened. George seemed surprised at my statement but shrugged it off. I spotted Hermione, Ron, and Harry whispering together and I stained to hear what was being said.

"That was…lie…imagine….scar hurting…know it." I got snippets of what Hermione said.

"So…?…back…Azkaban because…me!" Harry said. What is Azkaban? Isn't that the prison Arthur Weasley mentioned? I quietly finished my bagel.

"Hey!" I looked up at Lucy who had just took a seat next to me.

"Hey." I sighed.

"So, you looked pretty cozy with Fred last night." I nearly chocked on the last of my bagel.

"Pardon?" I managed between coughs.

"You came back pretty late last night." Lucy got out between giggles. I rolled my eyes at her implication.

"George was there too." Her eyes widened.

"Oooh. I didn't picture you as the kind of person for that, but-"

"Stop!" I yelled, pressing my hands over my ears. Now George was cracking up too. Great. "Eew! Never insinuate that again!"

"Hey, guys." I had two options. 1) to ignore the entire morning and carry on like nothing was wrong or 2) make a big deal and possibly end our friendship. I went with 1.

"Hey." I said nonchalantly.

In the following weeks I didn't really do much and I won't bore you with the details. I didn't see Austin at all, for he didn't show up to the library that week or any of the other weeks. All the classes went from hard to nigh impossible. The real excitement came in the form of a sign which hung at the foot of the marble staircase. It read:

**TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT**

THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXVATONS AND

DURMSTRANG WILLL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK

ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL

END HALF AN HOUR EARLY

STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS

TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT

OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE

THE WELCOMING FEAST.

That week went by rather quickly. Everyone was a buzz with the news. Fred, George and I were working harder than ever on that aging potion. We were sitting a little ways from everyone conversing about how to fool the judge for the Triwizard Tournament on the morning of October 30th.

"It's a bummer, all right, but if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand. He can't avoid us forever." George said rather gloomily contrary to everyone's excited mood.

"Who's avoiding you?" Ron asked as he sat down on the other side of Fred.

"Wish you would," Fred said. I elbowed him in the ribs and he gave me an annoyed look.

"What's a bummer?" Ron asked persistently.

"Having a nosy git like you for a brother," George told him snidely. I elbowed him in the ribs and he winced.

"You got any ideas on the Triwizard Tournament yet?" Harry asked, redirecting the conversation."Thought any more about trying to enter?"

"I asked Mcgonagall about how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling. She just told me to shut up and get on with transfiguring my raccoon."

"It was priceless." I added and earned a glare from George.

"Wonder what the tasks are going to be? You know, I bet we could do them, Harry. We've done dangerous stuff before…"

"Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't," Fred quickly shot down Ron's idea."McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done the tasks."

"Who are the judges?" asked Harry, curiously.

"Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel, because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of 1792, when a cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went on a rampage." I laughed at everyone's shocked faces. The laughter stopped, however, when Hermione started on again about SPEW. I rolled my eyes, and became more interested in my toast. Just then the post arrived. A bird landed right in front of me with one foot in my scrambled eggs. It hooted softly as I looked at the black owl with confusion. It held out its leg. I slowly untied the envelope and put it in my pocket.

"Who's it from?" Fred asked. I shrugged and was interrupted by the bell.

_Later that day_

"Weasley, straighten your hat." Ron flushed angrily and fixed his hat.

"Follow me, please. First years in front… no pushing…" McGonagall said. We were all lined up in front of the castle. I stood next to Fred and George, sorely wishing I'd remembered my jacket. I was the only person without one.

"It's nearly six." Fred whispered with child-like excitement. I laughed and bounced on my toes.

"Yeah! How do you think they'll get here?" I asked.

"Probably something really grand that no one was expecting!" He replied grinning, eyes darting back and forth as if Durmstrang boys would start falling from the sky. I rubbed my finger together and breathed hot air on them to stop the numbness from spreading.

"Are you cold?" Fred asked, taking my hand. I gave an involuntary sigh of pleasure when his warm hands touched my freezing one's. "You're freezing! Where's your jacket?" I looked up at him then at the ground.

"I forgot it in McGonagall's room." I whispered. I don't know why I was whispering but I was shivering despite Fred's warm hands. He laughed and I mock glared at him.

"Sorry, it's just such a _you_ think to do."

"What do you mean it's such a _me_ thing to do?" He shook his head, apparently having realized he was fighting a loosing battle.

"Never mind. Forget I said anything."

I opened my mouth to reply when someone yelled out, "_There!_" We all looked and sure enough there was a shape looming over the dark forest, getting steadily closer. Beauxbatons had arrived.


	16. Chapter 15

****TO MY FANS: PLEASE READ THIS: I'm not sure whether Serena should be a competitor in the tournament or not so could you please review and tell me your opinion! Thanks to all my fans!****

The students drew back, blocking my view and slightly squishing me. I actually didn't mind for it made me less freezing. I could actually feel my feet! A huge carriage drawn by snow white horses landed in front of us. A massive woman exited the carriage. She completely dwarfed the entire student body (Dumbledore and all Faculty (yes even Hagrid) included).

"Wow." I breathed, momentarily forgetting my coldness. Dumbledore started clapping and everyone followed suit.

"My dear Madame Maxine. Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbley-dorr. I 'ope I find you well?" She spoke with a very noticeable accent and I couldn't help but let out a slight giggle. Mostly everyone around us turned to me and I ducked my head in embarrassment. Fred let out a soft chuckle and I glared at him.

"You look pale." He said frowning in concern. I tried to shrug it off.

"I'm al-lways pale." I tried hard to keep my teeth from chattering, but the 'always' gave it away. I quickly looked down again and rubbed my arms to restore the blood flow.

"You want my jacket?" Fred whispered. I shook my head and gritted my teeth. I wasn't a pity party.

"N-No I'll m-manage." In my head I cursed the cold weather. I felt a warm jacket being placed around my shoulders.

"I-I d-don-n't w-w-want your-r p-pity." I glared at him and started taking off the jacket.

"I don't pity you." I looked at him surprised. "I'm being a good friend." After a quick scrutiny, I pulled the jacket tighter around me and saw Fred smile slightly.

"Won't you get cold?" I asked him. He looked surprised at my question. To be honest, I was surprised at my question.

"Nah. I don't get cold. George used to prank me by freezing my part of the room solid while I slept. I got used to it." He shrugged. I was already warming up.

"Thanks, Fred." I said after a moment pause. I smiled up at him. We both redirected our attention to the girls getting out of the carriage. They were beautiful and I saw some of the Hogwart's girls go green with envy. The boys were practically drooling.

"Come!" Madame Maxime left and the crowd parted for her.

"Wonder how Durmstrang is going to arrive." George said, glancing at us. His eyes flicked over me and then to the jacket around my shoulders. I got the impression that he was surprising a smile.

"We'll need to make ourselves known to the both of them. Make a name for ourselves." Fred said with that mischievous glint in his eye. I smiled softly.

"Yea. We should start working on some new jokes." I said, grinning at them both.

"I've got a great idea! We make a pastry that turns someone into an animal!" Fred sounded like a kid on Christmas. I laughed at the visual image that gave me. I opened my mouth to add my own comment when I felt sudden pressure on my arm. I whipped around and grabbed a wrist. Luckily I recognized Lucy's face before I snapped her wrist. I took a calming breath and it was a moment before my brain could register what she was saying. In that moment, I did realize she looked excited and she seemed to be repeating the same thing over again.

"Lucy!" I exclaimed finally, the beginnings of a headache starting. Fred and George looked over curiously. "Slow down."

"You know Austin from Hufflepuff?" She asked, still out of breath and rushing the words. Her face looked flushed and bright with excitement.

"Yea, what about him?" I asked even though I knew what was coming next. I exchanged a look of worry with Fred.

"He asked me out!" She exclaimed taking a huge breath. "And I said YES!" She squealed the last part right in my ear and I winced. She glanced past me really fast and her brow furrowed. "George, are you okay?" I turned around slowly, knowing what I would see. George stood there stock still, his eyes staring straight forward. The only sign he was angry was the vein that pulsed in his neck.

"FIne." He said curtly. I looked at Fred who was looking back and forth between them in confusion. He looked at me and I gave him a meaningful glance. There was a second of awkward pause.

"No you're not. You look angry." Lucy told George boldly. She set her jaw which meant she wasn't giving up soon. George fixed her with a glare.

"I'm fine." He repeated more forcefully. She glanced uncertainty at me, looking for help.

"Hey, Sere, is that Lee calling us?" Fred asked, squinting. I looked in the direction but didn't see anything.

"Yea, it is!" I said, catching Fred's look. I followed him a few yards away from George and Lucy. We eavesdropped on their conversation.

"George, I know that look, there is something wrong. Why won't you tell me?" Lucy sounded so hurt and innocent I could almost imagine George's pain. He was practically in love with her and she was really naïve if she couldn't see that.

"Listen, I'm only going to say it once more, Lu, I'm fine." George sounded a bit more relaxed.

"George-"

"I'm fine!" He finally snapped. Fred grabbed my arm and wove around people to get back to the pair. We reached them just in time to see Lucy hurt face. "Lu…"

"Don't bother." She said curtly, knocking aside his outstretched hand. She stalked off. George looked at us and opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but just then Lee cried,

"The lake! Look at the lake!" Bubbles started forming on the surface and there seemed to be a whirlpool of sorts. Then a black mast rose slowly out of the water, followed by sails and finally a ship was resting atop the Black Lake. People started to dismount the boat and walk up the hill. They were all boys who were buff and (I'm not afraid to admit) hot.

"Well, helloooo Durmstrang." I looked to my left and saw Lily standing there. When she got there I have no idea, but I laughed at her statement.

"Dumbledore! How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?" The leader of the Durmstrang boys was a tall, lean man with cruel dark eyes. I immediately disliked him. My instincts told me he was evil or bad, probably both.

"Blooming, thank you , Professor Karkaroff." Professor Karkaroff shook hands with Dumbledore and smiled showing all his yellow teeth.

"Dear old Hogwarts," He said looking up at it. "How good it is to be here, how good…Viktor, come along, into the warmth… you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold…" Viktor came into the light and there was a collective gasp.

"Oh my God!" Fred whispered excitedly. "It's Krum!" So he was famous. I narrowed my eyes at Karkaroff, and I doubted very much that Viktor had any cold at all. We all piled into the Great Hall. Everything was a buzz with the news of Krum. I rolled my eyes every time I walked past a girl squealing or a guy searching for a quill. Fred and George filled me in on Krum, the famous quidditch player. We sat down at the Gryffindor table and I briefly wondered if everyone was as hungry as I was.

"Listen," I cut off George's rant about Krum. I was sitting next to Lily on one side and Lucy on the other. Across from us sat George, Fred and Lee. The tension was still kind of high between George and Lucy, but I was ignoring it for her sake. "I just don't see the big deal about a big shot quidditch player coming to our school. He's still a competitor. A rival." I shrugged and Lily laughed.

"You're honestly telling me you don't find him the least bit attractive?" I grinned at her.

"I didn't say anything about how hot he was."

"But he definitely is. Do you think I could get his -" Lee coughed loudly, interrupting Lily.

"We're sitting right here." Fred pointed out. I made a big show of coming out of a trance.

"Really? We had no idea." Lucy said sarcastically. I looked past Fred and saw the Durmstrang boys in a corner of the Great Hall, unsure of what to do. One of them caught my look and shot me a smile. He had a dark tan and was somewhat tall, probably 5'11. He looked to be extremely fit with muscular biceps and an award winning smile that reached all the way to his dark eyes. Short, tousled, brown hair completed the tall, dark, and handsome look. I smiled back, and he started over to our table when another guy grabbed his coat collar and gestured to where the Durmstrangs where sitting down, at the Slytherin table. He shot me a quick wink and I smirked before returning my attention to the table.

Just then, the food appeared and the feast was on.


	17. Chapter 16

****Sorry I haven't come out with a chapter in so long, but I'm hoping I can start updating faster now! This is the last chapter before the Triwizard Tournament begins so let me know if you haven't already!****

Chapter 16

The following morning was Saturday, best day of the week if you ask me. I had gotten up at the crack of dawn with Fred, George, and Lee to take the potion. We entered the hall and was followed by loud whooping and hooting. I grinned at everyone, nearly falling in excitement.

"Done it!" Fred whispered excitedly to Harry. "We've just taken it!"

"What?" Ron asked and I rolled my eyes.

"The Aging Potion, dung brains," Fred rolled his eyes at Ron's stupidity. I cuffed him over the head, and he mock glared.

"One drop each, we only need to be a few months older." George said. I, being me, had an alternative motive for doing this mad scheme. I wanted to see how old I was. Maybe I had already turned seventeen. I was trying to figure out my birthday. When I started school I was definitely sixteen (according to Hagrid and Dumbledore), was it possible I had turned seventeen in the past few months?

"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the four of us if one of us wins," Lee added.

"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know. I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this." Hermione warned us.

"Worry wart." I muttered and Fred smirked as Hermione glared.

"C'mon then - I'll go first!" Fred pulled out the paper from his pocket and took a deep breath. I gave him thumbs up and he grinned. He crossed the age line. Nothing happened, but suddenly I could sense something was wrong. It was like the air was filled with a weird energy. George gave a whoop of excitement and grabbed my arm.

"Wait, George!" I yelped as he ignored me and pulled me over the line. There was a sizzling sound and I felt myself being thrown backward. I landed quite painfully on my back a few yards away from Fred and George who, I saw with horror, had sprouted white beards. I quickly checked my face and to my relief felt the smooth skin of my chin. Still, I sensed something about me was off. I looked down at myself to find nothing out of place. Suddenly, I got an idea, a horrible idea. I brought my hair around my shoulder to look at it and let out a horrified shriek. Quick as a whip, I snapped my hood up to cover my hair. My shriek had gained the attention of everyone in the room. I felt hands start to tug on my hood.

"C'mon Sere! We have beards! What could be worse than that?" I reluctantly let my hood go, determined to keep my gaze on the floor. I heard gasps all around the room, but refused to meet anyone's gaze.

"I did warn you." I heard the voice of Dumbledore, but to my tainted ears, the voice sounded mocking and cold. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett of Ravenclaw and Mr. Summers of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as you two. I'm sure she can do something about your hair, as well, Miss Coldblood." I could already hear whispering about it, and I hated it.

I got up and sprinted out of the hall, up the stairwell through a maze of rooms and to the infirmary. I burst in and immediately studied the shocked faces that greeted me, searching for Madame Pomfrey.

"What happened to your hair?" the girl from Ravenclaw, the one with a beard (that was halfway through disappearing) asked.

"What happened to your face?" I snapped back. She looked hurt.

"It was only a question." She muttered and I glared at her.

"Calm down, Serena." Maybe it was the use of my full first name that got my attention, but I took deep calming breaths.

"Oh, more!" Madame Pomfrey bustled around the corner with a sigh. She stopped short when she saw me. "That's quite odd."

"Can you fix it?" I asked tensely. Madame Pomfrey exchanged a glance with the woman next to her and nodded unsurely.

"Most likely it will come out." I didn't allow myself to feel any relief yet, though. I was taken to a bed were she worked different ingredients through my hair to no avail. I sighed, wondering how much longer this would take. I guess it didn't matter as long as something worked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 hours later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nothing worked! Absolutely nothing! I stared at the mirror in horror. I barely heard Madame Pomfrey gently tell me I was overreacting, and that I'd been standing there for 10 minutes. I couldn't move. My hair was ruined. Somewhere inside me I didn't know why this was such a big deal. I didn't know why this was such a horrible thing to have happen. The majority of my mind was unhappy to say the least.

_ White flashed in front of my eyes as I struggled. I felt something digging into my wrist and looked down. My hands were bound to the wall with chains. I tried to sit but the chains weren't long enough to allow that pleasure. I was forced to stand as I screamed until my throat was raw and my eyes watered. I was wearing a long-sleeved tight shirt that, I suddenly realized, wasn't a shirt at all. I was wearing some form of a suit, and it was quite comfortable. The entire thing was midnight black and covered every inch of my bode from my neck down to my ankles. I wore black gloves to cover my hands and to avoid leaving fingerprints._

_ The door was thrown open and a tall Asian man entered wearing a pure white robe and a read sash around his waste. An emblem of a white rose splattered with blood was stitched in the right top of his robe. Surrounding him were armed guards wearing suits made of a white metal that was unknown to me. I scowled darkly at the man who just brushed of my scowl with a cruel smile that did not reach his eyes. One armed guard carried a long candle which he lit so we could better see each other though there was plenty of light coming in from barred windows on the ceiling._

_ "I have been waiting for The Queen to send someone!" I just did not think she'd send one so young. The man squeezed my face in between his thumb and forefinger. I tried to bite him and he slapped me hard across the face causing my head to snap sideways and my cheek to sting, but I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me in pain. Instead, I kept my face blank and looked at him as if I didn't feel anything. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you almost as much as I enjoyed breaking your father!" The man let out a cruel laugh and signaled to one of his soldiers. The soldier brought forth a white dagger and held it to my throat. I barely dared to breathe as I looked into his cruel dark eyes._

_ "Whatever you want, I will never give in to you." I said, and with that spit in his face. He howled and jerked back. He looked at me so furiously that for an instant I thought he was going to kill me right there. Instead, he did something worse. He leaned in, so his disgusting face was right in front of mine and he whispered in a low dangerous voice, his fowl smelling breath suffocating me._

_ "Listen to what's coming for you, you sniveling rat. With this knife I will draw on you in your own blood and while it's pooling around you and you choke on it, you will scream for your mother, just know that she sent you here, she condemned you to hell. I will break you ten times over and torture you with the screams of your dying city. And then, as you beg for death I, the ever merciful ruler, will oblige. Your head will be mounted on a stick as our flag as we claim your ash strewn world. This is what I want, and I, the White Lord, always get what I want."_

_ My mouth was dry as a desert in summer; I wanted to curl into a ball and hide from the world. Instead, as promised, I was laid on my back and felt the cool tip of the white blade digging into my skin. I had nothing left to give I realized as I saw the first trickle of blood running down my arm._

_ I started to scream._

"SERENA!" I screamed as I spun around and lashed out at whoever was there. My hand was met with air. A hand wrapped around my wrist and I immediately started reacting, but another hand was restraining my other hand. Suddenly, a pair of hazel eyes entered my vision and, somehow those eyes calmed me. My arms went limp and I started taking deeper breaths. My vision zoomed out to normal and I saw Fred standing before me with a worried look in his eye and Madame Pomfrey behind him.

"Fred?" I whispered and even to my ears my voice sounded broken and hollow.

"You're crying." He informed me. I put a hand to my face and sure enough there were wet tracks running down my face. I took a shuddering breath and tried not to think about the horror I'd just seen, but the vision came to my mind anyway. I felt more tears make their way down my face.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay." He comforted me and I threw my arms around his neck. He held me while I sobbed. I had never thought I'd see the day where Fred Weasley would be comforting me. Well, not like this at least. I felt the rumble of Fred's chest as he talked with Madame Pomfrey, but all I could hear was my own scream. I knew that people must be watching us right now, but all I could see was my own blood running down my arm. Instead of the sweet, flowery fragrance of the infirmary, all I could smell was that monster's breath. I buried my head in Fred's shoulder to try to escape the haunting images, but they followed me. Had that really happened to me? The thought made me cry harder, and as much as I tried to stop, I couldn't. I felt myself being lifted and carried.

Somewhere along the way, I had run out of tears, but I kept my head buried in Fred's chest half because I was really tired and the position was really comfortable, and half because I was too embarrassed to look up and see if anyone was in the hallway and saw my breakdown. I closed my eyes, but the scene replayed itself on my eyelids.

I felt myself being laid on a bed and I bit my lip in an attempt to stop a soft whimper from coming out. A part of me hated myself for being weak and a part of me wanted to curl up and die. I closed my eyes and in my head instead of the gruesome vision, I saw my own reflection staring back at me from that mirror. My electric blue eyes, my 5'7 physique, and my black hair.

Except now it was black hair with white highlights. The very same white that the dagger was.

****Imagine Rogue from the X-men hair: . ****


	18. Chapter 17

****PLEASE READ: I'm having major writers block so if everyone could type suggestions in their reviews that would be really helpful. Also, I'm thinking about writing another fanfic about another story but it would relate to this one. Any ideas on what story, tv show, or movie I should do please review!****

Chapter 17

I woke up with a pair of large green eyes that were centimeters from my face staring back at me. I jerked my head back and the creature scrambled backward. It took me a second to realize the creature was a house elf. What was it doing here? How did it even get here? I thought house elves didn't like to be in student's rooms because of all the clothes.

"What are you doing here?" I asked groggily.

"Master Weasley asked Dobby to tell you that the Goblet of Fire ceremony is tonight. He hopes you will be well enough to come." I furrowed my brow and the creature looked happily at me. "Master Weasley would also like Dobby to bring you anything you wish." Just then, my stomach gave a growl.

"Just a sandwich and some water. Er, what's your name?" I asked as he was leaving. I realized how stupid that question was.

"Dobby, ma'am." And he was gone. Dobby. Hadn't Harry mentioned a Dobby? I sat up in bed, only to realize I wasn't in my room; I was in Fred's. In fact, right now I was in his bed. If anyone was around right now I'd probably die from embarrassment. I stood up and stretched then looked at the clock. 5:30. I looked down at myself to realize I was a mess with clothes wrinkled and no shoes. Where were my shoes anyway? I rolled my eyes. I'd find them later.

An hour later I was sitting in the deserted Gryffindor common room with a sketch pad I had dug out of Lucy's bag and my meal. My hand moved while my mind drifted to more important matters: a.k.a My ever growing 'People to Avoid' list. Members included: Birch, Austin Reed, Seth Riche, and Ms. Fawcett of Ravenclaw who was apparently the girl I'd snapped at earlier with madam pomfrey. Was I ever going to figure this out? I let out a long sigh and threw my head backward against the pillows.

"What is wrong with me?" I groaned aloud.

"Well, were to begin?" I jumped as I heard the unexpected answer come from right behind me. I threw the pillow behind me and felt it hit someone in the head. "Ow!" I grinned in satisfaction at Fred's yelp and let out a small laugh.

"So, what happened back there in the infirmary?" I stiffened uncomfortably. Immediately horrifying images found their way into my brain.

"It was nothing. I just… saw a bug." I finished lamely looking down at my pencil and feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Riiiight, soooo, who's that?" I looked up at him in confusion.

"Who's who?"

"Him." I followed Fred's finger to the sketch I'd been working on. It showed a man in a costume that you would see a knight in a movie wearing. He had short stubby black hair and dark skin that made him look African. I caught myself smiling at the surprisingly realistic sketch. I sighed again.

"Let me guess: you don't know?" Fred asked, sounding mildly mocking.

"Whoever he was, he was a good guy, I think." I said, looking up at Fred's darkened features. "I'm sorry, okay! Look, I don't have any control over what's happening to me!" It wasn't like him to get angry. Fred was usually light and joking, not moody and irate.

"Whatever." He started walking away and I got up quickly to follow him.

"Wait, Fred!" I yelled after him. He kept walking and without turning around called "You might want to come down to the Great Hall; the ceremony starts in 15 minutes." Ceremony? Oh, the Goblet! I hesitated for a moment.

"Wait!" I grabbed his arm and he spun around to glare at me.

"What?" He snapped and I flinched and took a step back. His gaze softened for a second and then hardened again.

"Why are you mad at me? I haven't done anything to you!" I snapped back at him, becoming defensive.

"I'm not mad." He seethed, ripping his arm out of my grip. Under different circumstances, I would've laughed at the ridiculousness of that statement.

"Yes, you are _clearly_ mad! What's wrong?!" I was getting angry now to. Why was he being such a jerk?

"Why?" He snapped.

"Why what?" I hissed back.

"Why should I _ever_ tell _you_?" I took a step back at the furiousness in his voice.

"Because I'm your friend!" I yelled at him. "Or at least I thought I was." I muttered uncomfortably.

"Really? Really, Serena? You're my friend? Because friends don't help each other only to be lied to. Yea, sure, you saw a bug. After I helped you when you pretty much had a break down, you lied right to my face. Is that what friend's do Serena?" He was right. Of course. I felt horrible. Well, half of me felt horrible and half of me felt angry.

"Why do you even care?" I screamed.

"Because it made you cry." He yelled at me. I opened my mouth, but no words came out so I closed it. "Because it made you cry and I'm your friend and I care about you." Fred whispered and for once in his life he looked completely serious. A long silence ensued in which I opened and closed my mouth several times trying to think of a way to answer that. Fred's expression shut down and he turned and walked away. I opened my mouth but again no words came out so I shut it and watched him walk away in silence. I winced at the thud of the portrait swinging shut. Fred cared about me. He cared about what happened to me and if I was crying. My stomach fluttered and I looked in the direction he'd left. Did I care about him?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Fred was my friend, possibly my best friend. That was all. I grabbed a jacket and walked out the portrait slowly, careful not to catch up with Fred. Gradually my mind turned to other matters. I wonder who's name is going to come out of that goblet. I felt a cold chill of trepidation go up my spine. I shook it off; the ceremonies going to go fine and afterward I'll talk to Fred. Everything will be fine. Some sentences I should just not even think.

****Sorry this chapter was so short! I'm hoping to update soon!****


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